Whistle blowers hotline needed urgently as report highlights bullying culture in NHS Lothian

Posted on May 18, 2012 by Sarah

Over the last few weeks I’ve been pushing for an update from the Scottish Government on the investigation into the management culture at NHS Lothian.

The investigation followed the serious concerns raised in the report on waiting time management in NHS Lothian which uncovered allegations of the suppression of information and an oppressive management style.

The Cabinet Secretary, Nicola Sturgeon, confirmed that she had received initial findings and, the following day, sent me a copy of the final report which revealed deeply disturbing findings.

The report noted that the management style at NHS Lothian contributed to a situation where information on poor performance is not passed up the management structure, where positive gloss is put on reports and where staff are pressurised to find solutions without support.

This management culture is clearly at odds with the stated values the health board seeks to promote – the so called ‘Lothian Way’ – which places patients first and foremost while giving a central importance to staff motivation and organisational reputation.

It appears to be the case that this culture has existed for some time and to the extent that the behaviour came to be viewed as ‘normal’ by staff.   The situation has reportedly been exacerbated by the unwillingness of staff to use whistle blowing policies due to lack of confidence in their effectiveness and fear of reprisals in their work life.   I am concerned that despite the  clear evidence of bullying behaviour, this situation did not come to light earlier. 

At a time when health board budgets are under increasing pressure and staff numbers are being cut it appears that the situation reached a breaking point with press reports about patients being offered appointments at English hospitals. This sparked off the whole investigation which has led to this point.

But its deeply concerning that staff did not feel confident to raise these problems and it was patients who blew the whistle.

I am  pleased that the Scottish Government is now working with Audit Scotland to look at this matter following  Labour’s calls for a Scotland-wide investigation.  I also welcome the Scottish Government’s continuing work with NHS Lothian to develop a sustainable plan to ensure patients are seen and treated within waiting time guarantees.

The results of these investigations have highlighted the need for action at NHS Lothian – both to reassess its procedures in terms of waiting time reporting and to reassert its commitment to the ‘Lothian Way’. 

However I was deeply disappointed that beyond saying that the evidence in the report was “beyond the pale” the Cabinet Secretary did not take the opportunity of yesterday’s debate in Parliament to address the lessons set out in the report. 

I believe there are serious issues of accountability and governance which have not been addressed at Scottish Government level.   Given the big pressures caused by staff reductions, and the current tight funding regime it will be an immense challenge for NHS Lothian to meet its statutory waiting times targets.  Our debate highlighted that patients deserve better and transparency on waiting times.

And the staff of our NHS do a tremendous job, but they need more than warm words – they need action and a positive working environment, not a workplace where they are stressed out, covering for the lack of resources.  I think the time has come for a Whistle blowers hotline so that staff are protected when they have concerns to report.

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Climate Jobs Caravan

Posted on May 15, 2012 by Sarah

On Saturday I attended the launch of the Climate Jobs Caravan – a touring campaign highlighting the fact that creating ‘climate jobs’ can help us tackle the twin crises of the economy and climate change.  

The initiative is organised by the Campaign Against Climate Change and will travel to locations across the country to highlighting its ‘One Million Climate Jobs’ report.

The report sets out the campaign’s vision to see one million jobs created across the UK in sectors such as electricity and energy; housing and building; transport; and industry and agriculture.  In addition the report looks at the education needs to provide people with the skills required for these jobs.

During the last session of the Parliament, MSPs put in place tough climate change targets.  Achieving these targets presents opportunities not only for the environment but also for the economy with the creation of green jobs and sustainable growth and to deliver real benefits to people. 

However, if we are to tackle climate change and benefit from a green jobs boost we need greater commitment from the Scottish Government to put in place the right vision, policies and finance in key areas like transport, building standards, renewables and energy efficiency.  One of the issues I’m campaigning for is more action on community renewables projects in urban and rural projects which link in with measures to tackle fuel poverty.

I hope the Climate Jobs Caravan is successful in raising awareness as it travels around the UK of the benefits of early action to reduce our carbon emissions and generates investment to create new jobs.   Last week’s Queen’s Speech made reference to the new Green Investment Bank.  It is vital that alongside traditional banks it becomes a player to enable the low carbon transformation we aspire to deliver in Scotland.

Posted in Campaigning, Environment and climate change, Green Investment Bank | Leave a comment

Living below the line

Posted on May 10, 2012 by Sarah

For five days this week I am taking up a challenge from the Global Poverty Project to Live Below the Line.

The campaign encourages people to spend five days feeding themselves on £1 a day – the UK equivalent of the extreme poverty line.

To start the week I made a trip to the supermarket with my £5 budget.  With so little money it was a real challenge to buy enough food to last the week.  My focus was on basic foods like porridge oats and noodles that could provide multiple meals throughout the week.

In addition I also bought some veg although the relatively high cost of these items meant I ended up relying predominantly on beans and pasta sauces.

Four days into the challenge I know I’ll make it through to the end, but I wouldn’t pretend I’ve managed to achieve a balanced, healthy and varied diet on my limited budget.  I reverted to meals that I lived on when I was a student and when I was unemployed.   It required quite a bit of planning given my lifestyle and attending evening meetings.

The Live Below the Line campaign is designed to give a small glimpse into the lives of the 1.4 billion people world-wide who have to make ends meet on extremely limited budgets.  Their challenge is not only have to consider the cost of food but also other vital living costs like housing and utilities.

In our discussion at the Cross Party Group on International Development with representatives from the campaign I thought getting school students involved would be a particularly good reality check and bring home the need for affordable, healthy food.

The campaign is a fantastic way to engage people in the movement to end global poverty and is a real eye-opener to the difficulties that people are facing on a daily basis.

I’m not taking part in the challenge primarily to raise money – but have decided to make a donation to VSO UK to help them continue their excellent work with volunteers.   I’ve seen for myself the difference that VSO volunteers can make working to support disadvantaged communities from my time in Khagrachari in Bangladesh last year.

Posted in Campaigning, Economy, Health, International Development | Leave a comment

World Trade Day 2012

Posted on May 9, 2012 by Sarah

World Fair Trade Day will be celebrated on 12 May 2012 and various events have been organised in over seventy countries.

2012 is set to be an important and exciting year for Scotland as we are very close to becoming one of the first countries in the world to achieve ‘Fair Trade Nation’ status.  The Scottish Fair Trade Forum have been campaigning tirelessly, along with a number of leading organisations across Scotland, to achieve this result and it is fantastic news that the goal is almost in sight.

Throughout Edinburgh and Scotland, 12 May will be marked with a variety of events, fun-packed competitions and activities to help raise awareness and encourage more communities to become fair trade friendly. 

Edinburgh University People and Planet Society have organised a free-to-enter football tournament on the Meadows, offering energetic and enthusiastic participants the chance to win a number of prizes as well as providing fair trade snacks for all. 

For budding photographers and artists, the Scottish Fair Trade Forum have launched a national snapshot photo competition. Exciting prizes will be awarded to the most creative and interesting pictures.   

I would also highly recommend visiting Edinburgh’s esteemed One World Shop, currently the largest fair trade outlet in Scotland, which has a long standing track record of promoting the fair trade message.  The One World Shop has been in operation since the early 1980’s and has committed itself to sourcing and selling the best fair trade products from across the world. 

I am a strong supporter of fair trade because it helps to improve the lives of workers in the developing world, ensuring that prices for goods are set above the cost of production which helps workers to make enough money to provide for their family.  This not only increases wages, but encourages growth in important social sectors such as health programmes, educational initiatives and improving the local environment. 

The fair trade sector is worth over £1.3bn – testament to the fact that more people are becoming more conscious of the fair trade movement and the efforts that organisations such as the Scottish Fair Trade Forum have put into raising awareness of it. 

It is heartening to see a range of retailers, such as local Scotmid stores, selling products with the fair trade symbol and the growth of such products not just across the retail sector but across society has been remarkable.  Over the last few years I’ve been impressed with the churches, schools and local companies promoting awareness of fair trade principles.

To mark World Fair Trade Day I lodged a parliamentary motion and welcome the cross party support it has already gathered.

I wholeheartedly hope that 2012 is the year that Scotland becomes one of the first Fair Trade Nations.  It’s a practical way to support communities by giving them the power to negotiate a fair price for their products – and the chocolate’s great too!

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Edinburgh Museums in running for £100k prize

Posted on May 7, 2012 by Sarah

I am delighted with the announcement that two of Edinburgh’s most iconic museums, the National Galleries of Scotland and the National Museum of Scotland, have been long listed for the Museum of the Year title through the prestigious Art Fund Prize 2012.

Ten museums across the UK are in the running for the honour, which carries a prize value of £100,000. The Art Fund plays a crucial role in developing the range and quality of British art, whilst promoting the sector and encouraging public participation.

I offered my support by lodging a parliamentary motion welcoming the news. It cannot be underestimated how significant it is for our capital city to have two museums listed and without a doubt it is testament to their hard work. Edinburgh has long been considered a cultural centre of excellence, home to a wide array of visual arts and the nominations clearly enhance our international standing.

The Art Fund recognises both originality and distinction in art. Both museums have undergone multi-million pound transformations, with the re-opening of the Scottish National Portrait Gallery in December 2011 and the re-development of the National Museum. Millions of visitors – locals and tourists alike – have passed through their doors; exploring the world of fine art, innovation, science, technology and culture.

I would like to take the opportunity to once again congratulate both museums on their achievements and I would like to offer my best wishes ahead of the shortlist announcement on 14 May and the final decision on 19 June.

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Classroom concerns highlighted

Posted on May 2, 2012 by Sarah

Last week I highlighted concern over falling teacher numbers during question time in the Parliament.

Scottish Government statistics show that between 2007 and 2011 the number of primary teachers in Edinburgh fell by 122 while numbers in Midlothian and East Lothian also fell at a rate above the national average.  Across Scotland there has been a reduction of 978 primary teachers since 2007.

These figures will be concerning to teachers currently undertaking their probationary year and who face an uncertain future in the jobs market.

Prior to the 2011 Scottish Parliament elections, the Scottish Government stated that they had reached agreement with local government to deliver sufficient teaching posts for all probationers who successfully complete their probation in summer 2011.

However, figures from the General Teaching Council for Scotland show that the number of post-probation teachers able to find full time permanent work fell from just over 40% in 2006-07 to just over 20% in 2009-10. Over the same period, the number of post-probation teachers not in work or on supply doubled to 16% and 25% respectively.

The increasing number of qualified teachers unable to find work is hugely disappointing.  Instead of putting their training to good use too many new teachers are being forced to turn away from the profession.

As well as falling teacher numbers, I also raised concerns over class sizes. During the last Parliament, the Scottish Government aimed to deliver class sizes of 18 or less in p1-3 and introduced a statutory maximum class size of 25 in p1.

Despite initial progress in Edinburgh, the percentage of p1-3 pupils in classes of 18 or less is currently 15.3%, a fall from the high-water mark of 16.5% in 2010.  Meanwhile, over 50 primary 1-3 classes in the city currently have 30 or more pupils.  Across Scotland, the percentage of p1-3 pupils in classes of 18 or less has also fallen in the last year.

Given these figures I was disappointed that the Minister dismissed my concerns, and those expressed to me by constituents.

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Congratulations to the Southside Association : 40 years old and still going strong

Posted on May 2, 2012 by Sarah

Last night I had the pleasure of joining members of the Southside Association and my colleague Sheila Gilmore MP to celebrate the Southside Association.

At a well attended meeting it was the chance for people to remember the campaigns and work of members over that period. There were speeches from current chair, Colin Christison whose history of the Southside is superb and Keith Smith, the South Side Centre’s Manager.

At the 21st anniversary celebrations in 1993 Keith reported that the Southside Association was formed in order to represent the interests of the people who lived or worked in the area, and its two practical aims were to retain the population in improved housing, and to bring about the rehabilitation of streets and buildings of architectural and historical interest.

At the time the area was under immense pressure. There were 1,000 vacant houses in the area and there were plans for an urban motorway which would have bulldozed its way through the heart of the community. There were also the expansionary ambitions of the University to buy up properties around the area.

In other British cities the last 40 years has been the story of tenemental clearance with local people being pushed out of their communities and the character of the area replaced by concrete buildings which removed the local identity. I believe the Southside Association was instrumental in fighting for a better alternative. It worked in partnership with local politicians both pushing them for action and receiving support in turn.

The work of former Councillor Bob Cairns needs mention because, as chair of the Planning Committee, he was instrumental in protecting and regenerating the Southside and indeed the old town as Edinburgh’s historic heart. Former Housing Chairs Robin Cook and Sheila Gilmore followed their passion for local communities by becoming MPs. And although Alistair Darling’s entry into the history books will no doubt be due to his work as Chancellor his decisions as chair of Transport in Lothian Region opposing damaging roads plans were critical to the Southside’s future.

There are some lovely milestones recorded in the Minutes of the Association:

At the AGM in 1975 there were 170 members and the first South Side Local Plan went before the Council with a recommendation that South Siders were given the opportunity to stay in rehabilitated homes.

In 1975 the first Meadow Festival was held.

In 1977 the possible closure of Infirmary Street Baths was first mooted. When I was elected in 1999, Keith Geddes, regional councillor for the area, warned me that one of my jobs would be to do what I could to campaign against the closure of the baths. Over time new housing was built and Edinvar Housing Association created to refurbish the tenements in the area and raise the standard of housing available.

In 1984, on a motion from then local councillor George Foulkes, the old Southside church was converted into the Southside Community Centre – home to local community education activities, local sport and keep fit classes, history groups, kids activities and a fantastic community café which is a lifeline particularly for older members of the community.

For my part I want to record thanks to those members of the community who have kept not just the spirit but the reality of a community alive. The late Maggie Wilson OBE was a tireless campaigner for the area.

In my time as MSP I’ve been proud to support local campaigns to reopen the Nelson Hall and to support local groups such as the CYP to provide facilities particularly for young people. The Crags campaign to create sports facilities particularly for young people was spearheaded by Mary Whitfield and Liz Walker from the Dumbiedykes. It became a much loved local facility then we had the campaign against its closure, then to reopen it, culminating in last month’s celebrations of the partnership between Basketball Scotland and Castle Rock Edinvar which has ensured it is open for business again.

Last night we celebrated the contribution of Linda Femister who was elected 35 years ago to serve on the committee and who, it was estimated, had to date spent around 1,000 hours attending committee meetings. The contribution of George Pitcher is also worthy of thanks, not only has he been an active member of the Association, but is also the editor of the Southsider, a challenging task given the financially straitened times we live in. Last night I also wanted to record our thanks for the work of Keith Smith Manager of the Southside Community Centre. It’s been his job, his personal mission, to motivate and support the staff not just of the Southside Community Centre but also the Nelson Hall – in times of rising and more recently falling budgets for community education.

Those contributions are worth celebrating because the regeneration of the physical fabric of the Southside and the reuse of its buildings have enabled people to live in the area and it remains a distinct part of Edinburgh’s history. For me, it’s not just local history, its living history.

Posted in Community Facilities | Leave a comment

Pedal on Parliament

Posted on April 30, 2012 by Sarah

Last weekend I joined around 2,500 cyclists from across Scotland at the culmination of their Pedal on Parliament campaign for improved facilities and funding for cycling. Even the organisers were overwhelmed by the big turnout on the day.

There were words of support from record-breaking long-distance British cyclist Mark Beaumont, and Lynne McNicoll whose stepson died after a collision with an HGV truck earlier this year.

The Pedal on Parliament campaign has drafted a manifesto calling on better funding for cycling, improved provision of cycle paths and integration for bikes and public transport. I was delighted to support the Pedal on Parliament event, and to have the chance of highlighting Scottish Labour’s support for the campaign.

The Scottish Government has set the target that 10% of all journeys should be made by bike by 2020. It is ambitious but the experience of other European countries shows that it can be done.

However we start from a low base with only 1% of journeys currently made by bike and only 1p out of every pound spent on transport invested in cycling. So a step-change is needed if we are to rebuild a cycling culture. That means sustained support led by the Scottish Government and investment across Scotland.

Two thirds of our journeys are less than two miles yet for many safety issues are a major deterrent. Studies have shown that women are particularly put off because of their concerns about personal safety.

The specifics in the Pedal on Scotland manifesto are worthy of support: The Scottish Government needs to put in place proper funding and sustained investment, not one-off gestures. We need both dedicated facilities for cycling and better integration to ensure that it’s designed into our roads maintenance, our local transport strategies and our planning decisions so that parking facilities and infrastructure are cycle friendly. It’s also important not just at the level of trunk roads but on local roads too.

Safer speeds and an emphasis on cycle safety are vital too with all road users being more aware of the vulnerability of cyclists and a strategic and joined-up programme of road user training put in place. Solid research on cycling to support policy-making will ensure the benefits of investment can be maximised.

Promoting cycling as part of an integrated transport strategy that links bus and rail travel too could help to get people more active and make a real contribution to reducing our carbon emissions. Relatively small additional numbers of cyclists could also take pressure off our congested roads.

On Saturday I didn’t just bring Labour’s support for the general aims of the campaign. I passed the challenge back to those attending to find out what the views of their local council candidates are and to lobby those who are successful in the elections to push for action locally. I’ll certainly be working with my Labour colleagues in local authorities across Scotland to see what more we can do locally.

Young people will be inspired by Olympians like Chris Hoy and Victoria Pendleton – we need to make sure there is a legacy for their efforts so that our streets are safer and our off road routes more extensive. A starting point would be an audit of facilities and routes in local authority areas. We need to work together to make progress and the sustained investment we need means sustained political support.

Posted in Campaigning, Transport | Leave a comment

Mourn for the dead: Fight for the living

Posted on April 29, 2012 by Sarah

Yesterday’s Workers Memorial Event in Princes St Gardens was moving.  Along with my Labour colleague Ian Murray MP I attended our Edinburgh Workers Memorial Event to show solidarity with our local trade union branches.

As Unison leader Mike Kirby has said “no one should be put at risk at work. Work related deaths, ill health and “accidents” are not acceptable.  Employers have a responsibility to ensure that work doesn’t cause harm to their employees – it’s not only the right thing to do – it’s the law.”

But hard won regulations and enforcement regimes are being undermined and underfunded.   As the recession hits companies and there is pressure to cut corners we need to campaign to ensure that health and safety regimes are upheld.   The Health and Safety Executive estimate that 70% of deaths and major injuries are the result of poor management.

As Luke, a former Environmental Health worker, made clear the combination of cuts and reductions in the health and safety enforcement is putting at risk past progress.

The UK Government’s document Good Health and Safety Good Health for Everyone actually sets out a weaker regime – how Orwellian.   Proactive inspections in “low risk” work places are now banned.   So for example the whole of the public sector, emergency services, agriculture, road and air transport are now classified as low risk.  And this is while in the public sector occupational health services are seeing an epidemic of stress and musculo-skeletal disorders.   The TUC estimates that 20,000 die every year in the UK as a result of work-related illnesses caused by for example exposure to chemicals, dusts, and carcinogens such as asbestos, stress from long hours at work, overwork, bullying and harassment.

The combination of public sector cuts and the impact of the recession on companies mean that there’s pressure to make short cuts.  Without routine inspections the onus is then on individual staff to act as whistle blowers – hard when people are worried about speaking out in case they put their job at risk.

That’s why it’s vital that the Labour and Trade Union movement fight for Health and Safety.  Yesterday wreaths were laid by Unite, NUJ, UCU, Unison City Council and NHS Lothian branches.

Across the UK this weekend there were events to campaign for decent health and safety standards.  But the campaign is needs to be fought across the globe.  In other countries workers are even more vulnerable to chemical exposure, poor health and safety conditions and environmental degradation in their workplaces.

In September the Scottish Parliament’s Cross Party Group on International Development will host a visit from survivors of the 1984 accident at the Bhopal industrial plant in India which leaked 27 tonnes of deadly methyl isocyanate gas, killing thousands and polluting the groundwater around the factory.  I’ll post information of the event nearer the time.  Meantime check out http://www.bhopal.org/ to read about the ongoing health impacts on the survivor community.

Posted in Campaigning, Health, International Development | Leave a comment

Call for independent look at statutory repairs

Posted on April 25, 2012 by Sarah

Over the last couple of weeks a number of reports have emerged regarding the on-going situation with statutory repairs in Edinburgh.

At the end of last month it was revealed that five members of staff were sacked as part of the investigation with the manager of the department following days later.

It then emerged that the Council has paid out a total of £30m to contractors and have yet to retrieve any of it back from homeowners who have had work done.  With over 850 complaints from residents, the Council may be facing lengthy and expensive legal action and this has left the prospect of taxpayers having to foot the bill.

The scandal has revolved around complaints about a number of aspects concerning statutory repairs including escalating costs of repairs; the quality and necessity of works; and extremely poor communication and administration from the Council.

These concerns led to the Council calling in Deloitte a year ago to undertake a review of the department while Lothian & Borders Police are currently involved in an on-going investigation into the conduct of the department with reports suggesting that staff are ‘likely to face charges’.

The Deloitte review has now finally been concluded at a cost of £1.5m however its contents look set to be a closely guarded secret, disclosed only to high ranking council leaders amidst concerns that its contents could jeopardise the police investigation.

The current situation is symptomatic of an administration that has allowed the issue to run away from them. By failing to investigate the concerns with the system which have been put to the Council by me and by residents over a number of years the scale of the problem has been allowed to escalate.

At a time when we needed decisive leadership to find a way forward, the administration has hidden behind the Deloitte review and suspended all but emergency work.  Meanwhile, necessary repairs across the city have not been addressed allowing buildings to fall further into disrepair and costs to escalate.

This hiatus has also had a serious impact on the construction sector in the city as work has dried up for reputable contractors.

The result is a disastrous legacy for future administrations who will be left with the job of clearing up the legal and financial fallout while dealing with the backlog of work.  The legacy for residents of the city is financial uncertainty at a time when the Council’s budget is under huge pressure and current levels of debt are at their highest for a generation.

The problem has now escalated to a point where the public simply no longer trust the Council to get the job done.  Yet given the nature of the city’s buildings the reality is that we need a robust system to ensure that common repairs can be carried out efficiently, affordably and fairly.

Given the lack of trust in the Council on this issue I believe that we need an independent investigation if we are to be sure that lessons will be learned.  I have therefore written to the Auditor General, Robert Black, calling on Audit Scotland to look into the issue to address not only Edinburgh’s problems but to inform good practice across Scotland.

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