Health · Healthcare & Policy · 12 hrs ago
Review finds repeated patient safety failures at NHS Grampian
A watchdog review found serious leadership and safety failures at NHS Grampian, the health board serving north-east Scotland.
The review highlighted problems at Dr Gray’s Hospital in Elgin, as well as weaknesses across the board.
The board failed to learn from serious incidents and repeated warnings, the review found, describing recurring patterns of harm.
It also found that a suspension of children’s surgery at Dr Gray’s was not fully put into effect; inspectors found no evidence that the delay caused further harm to individual patients.
An investigation into a patient’s death during surgery failed to examine the surgeons’ actions and decisions, the watchdog said.
Chief executive Laura Skaife-Knight apologised and said the board accepted the findings and would put things right.
The watchdog made six recommendations for urgent change, and NHS Grampian says an interim medical director will start on 16 November.
Health Secretary Angela Constance is due to update parliament next week on further government action.
Healthcare Improvement Scotland found serious leadership and clinical-governance failures across NHS Grampian, including “recurring patterns of harm”.
The review said the health board repeatedly failed to resolve clinical-governance concerns or learn from serious adverse events.
Dr Gray’s Hospital in Elgin was a particular focus, and the review found it was insufficiently integrated within NHS Grampian.
The review includes six recommendations for the board to implement.
Chief executive Laura Skaife-Knight accepted the findings and apologised to patients, families and communities.
Health Secretary Angela Constance said the findings were extremely serious and expected immediate changes in medical leadership.
- Who
- NHS Grampian and its leadership. Healthcare Improvement Scotland carried out the review.
- What
- A review found serious shortcomings in leadership, clinical governance and oversight, including recurring patterns of harm.
- When
- The report was published on 12 November 2026.
- Where
- NHS Grampian in north-east Scotland, including Dr Gray’s Hospital in Elgin.
- Why
- Skaife-Knight invited the review in response to significant patient-safety and care-quality issues, particularly at Dr Gray’s Hospital.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Skaife-Knight invited Healthcare Improvement Scotland to review NHS Grampian after patient-safety and care-quality issues.
Healthcare Improvement Scotland published its review, setting out serious failures and six recommendations.
An interim medical director was due to start at NHS Grampian.
NHS Grampian was due to consider immediate actions at a public board meeting.
- Review
- Independent diagnostic review by Healthcare Improvement Scotland
- Recommendations
- Six for NHS Grampian to implement
- Hospital
- Dr Gray’s Hospital, Elgin
- Chief executive
- Laura Skaife-Knight
- Interim medical director
- Due to start 16 November 2026
3 sources
What people are saying
We found weaknesses in clinical governance systems, leadership and organisational oversight
As a board we own and accept the findings, we apologise to our patients, families and communities for letting them down and we commit to putting things right.
Patient safety must come first, and people in Moray and across NHS Grampian must have confidence in the care they receive
she has operated with candour