GREATER EFFORTS ARE being made to ensure that patients attending Moray’s main hospital are not subjected to return road trips to Aberdeen for treatment.
The NHS Grampian health board met in Elgin on Thursday during which they heard that staff in Dr Gray’s were now learning new skills that minimised the requirement to transport patients by road to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.
Board members learned of an example of the stress these journeys have been causing, with an investigation into the death of one patient identified only by the name of ‘Mark’ highlighting the issue.
During that investigation Mark’s family complained after learning that he had been ferried to and from Aberdeen to have an intravenous device fitted. While his death was unrelated it was felt by his family that Mark had suffered undue stress in his final days before dying of pneumonia.
The board was told by divisional lead nurse Linda Oldroyd: “Mark was originally admitted to Dr Gray’s with a hip fracture – but after the joint became infected he was placed on long-term antibiotics that required a catheter being fitted.
“The particular procedure was not carried out at Dr Gray’s so he was taken to Aberdeen. His story has resulted in a number of changes – patients no longer need to travel back and forth to Aberdeen for the insertion of lines.”
Moray Council leader Stewart Cree is a member of the Health Board. He said: “Anything that does not aggravate the discomfort people are already suffering should be welcomed – now we just need to expand on that.
“Having many people travel from Aberdeen to Elgin for the meeting was a wonderful reminder of what it means on a daily basis for patients going the same distance.”