Meanwhile, Old Aberdeen Medical Practice is said to be ‘on the brink of collapse’
By: Anttoni Numminen
Photograph: AJN/The Gaudie
Caroline Hiscox, the chief executive of NHS Grampian praised the “massive, Herculean effort’ of healthcare workers during a meeting of NHS Grampian’s Board this week.
Hiscox, who took over as head of the regional NHS administration in November, also thanked the public for “overall, doing a really good job and sticking to the [Covid-19] rules.”
The Board Meeting on Thursday (3 December) discussed the current state of NHS Grampian as well as plans and contingencies for the future, including discussion of Covid-19 vaccines, the effects of Brexit on healthcare workers and the purchase of surgery robots.
The meeting also revealed the financial state of NHS Grampian which this year has overspent £0.4m, considerably less than at the same point last year (£2.79m). It was also estimated that in the first seven months of the financial year, the Health Board had incurred costs of £15.2 million in responding to Coronavirus.
Image: NHS Grampian
This comes as there are fears for future of the Old Aberdeen Medical Practice (OAMP) which has recently seen a spate of resignations. It has also been reported in the Press and Journal that the Medical practice, which serves thousands of University students, is ‘on the brink of collapse’.
In another worrying sign for the medical practice, public health authorities voted this week to withdraw from managing the running of the Old Aberdeen Medical Practice and five other medical centres in Aberdeen in favour of finding GP-led partnerships.
The OAMP has a complicated relationship with the University of Aberdeen. Despite providing essential medical services close to campus and to thousands of students, many have spoken of issues with regard to staff attitudes and problems with accessing basic services.
“The vaccine is a bright light at the end of the tunnel – a very long tunnel”, said Hiscox at the Board Meeting. Speaking of the NHS’ ability to provide safe, quality care to those in care homes, she said: “the priority is to make sure our staff are healthy – the wellbeing and health of my staff is my priority.”
As of Friday, the number of outbreaks at Inchmarlo Care Home in Aberdeenshire was 72.
