Hansard

I, too, congratulate Dave Thompson on securing a debate on this important subject and bringing it to the chamber. I also thank the organisations, particularly the British Heart Foundation.

Last week, I congratulated NHS Grampian on its work with specialist Parkinson’s nurses, but the story this week is not so good for NHS Grampian. Nanette Milne referred to nursing numbers in Aberdeen. To put that figure into context, we have three specialist heart failure nurses in the Aberdeenshire Council area, two in Aberdeen City and 0.2 full-time equivalents in Moray—there is none at all in Orkney. That amounts to about six specialist nurses; in reality, there are 3.24 full-time equivalents, two short of what is needed in the Grampian area.

It is important to distinguish the difference between specialist nurses that deal with heart failure and those who deal with cardiac rehabilitation—I asked the minister about that the other week—because they are not the same. We need to identify the value of specialist nurses; their work for people with heart failure is undoubtedly immeasurable.

We have heard from Dave Thompson the testimony of people at the cross-party group on heart disease and stroke. An answer to a parliamentary question included a breakdown of the number of specialist nurses from NHS Grampian, which is why we have the numbers. The health board acknowledged that, were it to remove the heart failure nurses, it would see a rise in acute admissions. That would cause anxiety not only to patients but to their families. I urge NHS Grampian, which is carrying out a review of all its cardiac services that will report in August 2013, to consider the importance of those nurses.

Nanette Milne said that the funding is coming to an end. It comes to an end in March 2014 but, because of the nurses’ contractual agreements, they may be redeployed as early as September or October. There is undoubtedly a crisis in NHS Grampian that needs acute remedy. We need more specialist nurses. We realise that funding is difficult across all health boards. Jackie Baillie and Dave Thompson mentioned the monetary aspect, which needs to be borne in mind, but, beyond that, the issue is about the service that is provided for the patients and their families.

Nanette Milne said that treatments are not always face to face or in hospitals or their satellites, but over the phone. We can use technology, including telecare services. For example, we could sometimes use telemedicine in Orkney, as we do in other areas. We must be cleverer in remote and rural areas. I suggest to all health boards that they use the available facilities and technology to provide a heart failure service to our patients and carers.

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