Report finds 'failings' at troubled NHS board

A report by MSPs today said there were "serious failings" in the way NHS Western Isles was run under the previous Labour-led Scottish Executive.

Members of the Scottish Parliament's Audit Committee have been probing the management of the troubled health board.

By the end of 2006-07 the NHS board had a cumulative deficit of £3.364 million.

Western Isles MSP Alasdair Allan said it was clear that the then health minister Andy Kerr failed to grasp the problems in the islands and should have intervened far earlier to sort out the mess.

“The report properly recognises the depth of anger and frustration in the local community about the performance of the health board during the period when it was run by Mr Manson and Mr Currie."

Highlands & Islands MSP Rob Gibson added:

“This report vindicates my pursuit of the then health minister Andy Kerr. He failed time and again over a nine month period to intervene. Andy Kerr must take political responsibility for failing to intervene despite widespread and credible evidence of bullying and mismanagement.

"The audit committee has done the Western Isles a big service and the new management are doing a vastly improve job, but early intervention by the Labour minister could have avoided the delays and stemmed the loss of staff morale which resulted from the abdication of political responsibility."