Scotland doesn't have enough high dependency beds, report says

doi:10.1136/bmj.331.7517.595

BMJ 2005;331:595 (17 September), doi:10.1136/bmj.331.7517.595

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Scotland doesn't have enough high dependency beds, report says

Edinburgh Bryan Christie

A lack of high dependency beds in Scottish hospitals is compromising the care of some patients after surgery, says the first review of anaesthesia services in Scotland.

The report, produced by NHS Quality Improvement Scotland, found that the provision of adequately staffed and equipped high dependency beds in the country was inadequate. This lack is leading to the premature discharge of patients from high dependency units to general wards, where they may not get the same level of postoperative care. It is also leading to delay or cancellation of operations. The report recommends that more beds be provided to meet patients� needs.

The report is based on a comparison of the performance of services with agreed standards and is said to be the first ever national review of anaesthesia services undertaken anywhere in the United Kingdom. Overall, it concluded that standards of care for patients receiving anaesthesia . . . [Full text of this article]

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