Question reference: S5W-25301
- Asked by: David Stewart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
- Date lodged: 12 September 2019
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Current status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 8 October 2019
Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of its geographical differences with the rest of the NHS Highland area, what its response is to calls for an inquiry, similar to that of the Sturrock review, to be carried out into alleged bullying and harassment in the Argyll and Bute area, and what discussions it has had with NHS Highland, the Argyll and Bute Health and Social Care Partnership and the local trade unions regarding this.
Answer
Following publication of the Sturrock Review, I visited NHS Highland in June to meet with the Board and staff-side partners to discuss progress. At those meetings I asked the Chair and Chief Executive of NHS Highland to consider further the options for taking forward a review in Argyll and Bute and to engage with relevant stakeholders.
The board has advised that on 24 September it approved the decision to proceed to tender for an independent individual or organisation to undertake a culture review within Argyll & Bute, as recommended in the Sturrock report.
NHS Highland are developing the tender documentation and selection process for consultation with staff-side and local management prior to placing this on the tender portal. The Board expect to commission the review in late November with a view to this commencing in early January 2020 and reporting at the end of March 2020.