THURSDAY, 10 JUNE, 2021

Immediate release. Link to video from Chair and Chief Executive thanking staff https://youtu.be/BIUQ2PotCoE

Scottish Government announcement marks significant NHS Tayside progress and staff achievements

Today marks a major milestone for NHS Tayside and its staff with the announcement by the Scottish Government that the Board is being de-escalated in the NHS Scotland Performance Escalation Framework. This is in recognition of the significant progress and achievements made over the past two-and-a-half years and means that NHS Tayside has moved from Stage 5 in February 2019 to Stage 2/3 today.

The Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care has confirmed that:

• NHS Tayside has been de-escalated from Stage 4 on the framework to Stage 2 in relation to Financial Position, Governance and Leadership.


• NHS Tayside has been de-escalated from Stage 4 on the framework to Stage 3 in relation to Mental Health Performance.

What does this mean?

In a practical sense, this means that:

• There is no longer any formal escalation status for the Board, aside from additional support from the Scottish Government Mental Health policy team in delivering a formal recovery plan for mental health performance.

• In relation to the Financial Position, Governance and Leadership, locally-led plans will be implemented.

• The existing Scottish Government Oversight Board will also now be wound up.

NHS Tayside was placed in the highest stage in the NHS Board Performance Escalation Framework – Stage 5 - in April 2018 by the then Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport. Escalation to Stage 5 involves the exercise of Ministers’ powers of intervention under the National Health Service (Scotland) Act 1978. It moved to Stage 4 in February 2019.

Welcoming today’s announcement, the Chair of NHS Tayside Mrs Lorna Birse-Stewart said, “NHS Tayside Board and staff at all levels have worked tirelessly to write a new chapter of recent history for NHS Tayside; one in which upper-end performance is the norm, compassionate care is delivered day in, day out, and people have renewed confidence in the services we deliver.

“It is very important that everyone knows that these successes are not a one-year, one-off achievement. The Board has now moved to financial balance and is operating within the level of funding available to it but, even more importantly, service delivery has also improved in key areas such as cancer waiting times and Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services. We have also maintained our top spot in the UK for four-hour Emergency Department targets.

“It really is significant to look back and see what our teams have delivered over the past two to three years – notwithstanding the extraordinary efforts in the local response across Tayside to the pandemic and the ongoing vaccination programme.

“Our teams are now stepping up again as we remobilise more services to ensure we continue to deliver excellent care and treatment to the people of Tayside and we are extremely proud of them and continue to be grateful for all the work they do.

Grant Archibald, Chief Executive, added, “Today marks a significant milestone for NHS Tayside, one which would not be possible without the hard work and commitment of our workforce and I would like to thank them for their unrelenting efforts.

“As well as the progress which has been recognised in leadership, governance and financial performance, I am very pleased that the efforts of our mental health workforce as they deliver care in hospital and out in our communities have also received recognition from Scottish Government. Mental health and learning disability services remain a priority for the Board – and there is much work still to do - but we move forward knowing we are heading in the right direction for our patients and their families and carers and we stand alongside our staff.”

Contact:

NHS Tayside Communications

(01382) 424138