Health inspectors may close unsafe wards to new admissions

New powers to prevent patients being admitted onto wards where there are serious concerns about safety are due to come into force in Scotland.

From April 1, inspectors working for the health watchdog Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS) will be able to close wards to new admissions if they have concerns over cleanliness and staffing levels.

The move follows regulations laid down by the Scottish parliament following a key recommendation from Lord MacLean’s Vale of Leven Hospital inquiry in 2014. It requires the backing of the full Scottish parliament before it can be officially adopted.

Ministers stress the powers are to be used ‘as a last resort’ with the preference being to keep wards open while any necessary improvements are made.

Health secretary Shona Robison praised the country’s healthcare system and its ‘record low infection rates’ but added: ‘Protecting patient safety is of critical importance, and that is why we want to go further and give HIS the powers to close hospital wards if they consider it necessary.

‘This would only ever be used as a last resort, and in the majority of cases we would expect HIS to work with health boards to put in place improvements on wards first.’

Lord MacLean’s inquiry was set up to investigate a number of deaths from the infection C. difficile at the Vale of Leven hospital in 2007-8. It made 75 recommendations, all of which have been accepted by the Scottish government. These include a five-year plan to promote better antibiotic prescribing, which is being carried out by the country’s chief medical officer with input from the chief nursing officer and executive nurse directors.