FIVE WARDS LEFT WITH JUST ONE NURSE AT CRISIS HOSPITAL

Unions point the finger at Scottish Government as they warn that staffing shortages af flagship site are putting patient safety at risk

- VIVIENNE AITKEN

AT LEAST five wards at Scotland's showpiece hospital were forced to operate with just a single registered nurse on duty as the NHS crisis deepens.

The shortage on Monday evening at Glasgow's Queen Elizabeth University Hospital affected wards including gastroenterology, rheumatology and diabetes.

Greater Glasgow & Clyde Health Board wrote to staff asking them to "continue to support the nurse teams and where possible check in more frequently on the following wards ... who will only have 1 Registered Nurse tonight".

The email from Sharon Parrot, clincal service manager, Medicine South Sector, also told staff that the health board had asked admin workers to stay on to offer support by "answering phones, door buzzer etc". She said the request would continue for the rest of the week.

Staff due on shift on Tuesday during the day were also asked to come in early to help night shift staff.

And she wrote: "Please note our nurse staffing position has been escalated via our general manager to the South Management Team and the Board.

Last night, Labour's health spokesman Jackie Baillie said: "Staffing is at such dangerous levels that patient safety is being compromised.

"Humza (Yousaf, health secretary) needs to stop sticking his head in the sand and act immediately before lives are lost"