Issue 86 | 28 October 2022
Elected Members Update for local MPs, MSPs and Councillors
This update is part of our on-going commitment to keep elected members informed of the latest developments at NHS Fife that may be of interest to you and your constituents. We would also encourage you to regularly visit and refer your constituents for the latest news and updates from NHS Fife on our website: or follow us on our social media channels.
Enquiries
To ensure accurate and timely responses from NHS Fife, all enquiries from elected members should be directed to the NHS Fife Chief Executive Office for response and co-ordination at fife.chiefexecutive@nhs.scot. Members are politely asked not to approach services or individual members of staff directly for responses.
Main updates
Ongoing pressure on services
Our hospitals remain extremely busy. The demand for inpatient beds remains very high, and this, coupled with the ongoing difficulties in ensuring the timely discharge of patients to social care services, is restricting of the flow of patients through the hospital system.
Emergency department presentations, including those referred to us by NHS 24, continue to be beyond what we would ordinarily expect at this time of year.
Workforce capacity challenges
As is the case across the UK, staffing continues to present significant and ongoing challenges to healthcare provision. However, we remain clear that the safety of those in our care is our priority and are committed to ensuring our hospitals are safe and effective.
To help us manage workforce challenges, it is important that we monitor staffing levels across our hospitals very carefully. We have daily safety huddles each morning with representatives from each ward and department and mechanisms are also in place to ensure staffing is continually assessed throughout the day and night.
We are under no illusions about how much pressure our staff are working under at the minute. However, we are committed to providing every possible support we can to those working on our frontline, as we have done since the start of the pandemic.
Valleyfield Medical Practice
Following correspondence from elected members representing the Valleyfield area, we are providing a short update on the challenges being faced by Valleyfield Medical Practice. NHS Fife recognises the issues being faced by Valleyfield Medical Practice and its patients, and we are both working to provide a better level of service for patients in the short-term, whilst developing at pace a plan to support sustainable of GP cover at the Practice over the longer-term.
There has been no stage where Valleyfield Medical Practice has been without medical cover. Most often cover is provided by a GP locum, with remote GP cover available and carrying out consultations when there is no medic physically on-site. This is in addition to the experienced and highly skilled multi-disciplinary team currently working to see patients within the Practice. Where necessary,
Valleyfield patients are also being supported by neighbouring practices in West Fife to avoid the need to travel longer distances for primary healthcare.
New Director of Workforce appointed
David Miller will join NHS Fife as director of workforce from the 1st of January 2023, following the retiral of Linda Douglas. David has worked for NHS Scotland for over 20 years in human resources, starting as a recruitment assistant in Lothian in 1996 and working across a variety of territorial and national health boards prior to becoming an HR Director. More information is available here.
Recruitment of NHS Fife Chair
The recruitment window for the appointment of a new NHS Fife Chair has been extended until the 30th of November 2022. To facilitate the extension, the Rt Hon Tricia Marwick will remain in her role until the 31st of March 2023. More information on the role and the recruitment process is available here.
Online coil fitting/replacement booking
Women in Fife can now book an appointment online to get a coil fitted or replaced through NHS Scotland’s National Sexual Health booking system. They can book here.
Three Scottish health award nominations for NHS Fife teams
We are delighted to have three finalists shortlisted for this year’s Scottish Health Awards. With over 750 nominations received, it is an incredible honour for our finalists to have made it to the final stage. The three finalists are:
All the winners will be announced on Thursday 3rd November at an awards ceremony in Edinburgh. Click here for more information.
Hospital visiting arrangements
Current visiting guidance allows patients in most areas of Fife hospitals to receive two visitors per day, and both visitors can visit at the same time. There are no time restrictions on visits. Essential visiting is in operation in some areas and more information can the latest information can be found here.
Vaccination
Shingles/pneumococcal vaccine issue
A national data coding issue recently led to people being mistakenly invited to get a shingles or pneumococcal vaccine. This resulted in approximately 5,400 people across Scotland receiving an additional dose of the shingles or pneumococcal vaccine between April and August this year.
Locally, apology letters have been sent out to those who either received or were mistakenly invited to get a shingles or pneumococcal vaccine in Fife. The letters also provide a reassurance that having received an additional dose of vaccine is not expected to result in any harm.
Public Health Scotland is working with the Scottish Government, NHS National Services Scotland and NHS Boards, including NHS Fife, to fully investigate this issue and implement actions to minimise the risk of such an error being repeated. Information on shingles, shingles vaccination and the pneumococcal vaccine is available on NHS Inform.
Covid vaccination
This week, the online vaccination portal opened for those aged 50-64 and constituents within this group can book their appointment here or by calling 0800 030 8013.
More than 20,000 appointments have been made available across the next few weeks.
All the at-risk group and those over the age of 65, who were previously able to book their appointments, have now been scheduled. Those within these groups who have not yet been contacted should book their appointment through the link above.
Vaccination of care home residents will also be completed by the end of this week.
Sharing our messages
We appreciate the support of elected members in sharing our health messages and note that you have already been engaging with the topics we have suggested on social media – we are grateful for your support.
Help us to help you keep your constituents informed
NHS Fife would ask our elective representatives to share our regular updates and guidance via their own channels of communications with their constituents. By supporting us you can help to ensure that we can reach as many people as possible across Fife in a timely manner.
Accessible information and translation
NHS Fife continues to provide interpreting and translation services for patients despite there being no face-to-face interpretation currently. These assets and further information can be found here.
Additional vaccination information/stats
You can find out about the numbers of people in Scotland who are vaccinated along with data about case numbers, and hospitalisations by accessing the Scottish Government Daily Update or by visiting Public Health Scotland’s Daily Dashboard
All Information correct at time of publishing. Issued by the communications team.
