Union's concern after consultants quit Forth Valley Royal Hospital

A health care workers' union has expressed alarm after five respiratory consultants reportedly resigned at Forth Valley Royal Hospital.

Unison said it raised the issue with the chief executive of NHS Forth Valley last month.

A report in The Times said the consultants left within two weeks of each other.

The health board said staff leave for a variety of reasons including career development and promotions.

Unison said it highlighted its concerns at an Area Partnership meeting in October, citing the potential impact on staff and patient safety.

A Unison spokesperson said the union asked whether a risk assessment had been completed and what contingencies were in place.

The spokesperson said: "We received an assurance that work would be undertaken to identify the risks.

"Unison's main concern is how patient safety will be maintained and unsupportable burdens on staff avoided given the difficulties with recruitment going into winter."

The union said it was keen to work with NHS Forth Valley to identify risks and prioritise staff safety around the issue.

NHS Forth Valley said a wide range of work was under way to reduce pressure and increase capacity across local health and social care services.

A spokeswoman said: "All staff who leave are offered the opportunity to take part in exit interviews and we actively seek feedback and suggestions from staff on any local changes or improvements.

"NHS Forth Valley has a track record in recruiting clinical staff, including in a number of speciality areas where there is strong competition."

Last year an independent review heard staff at the hospital failed to report mistakes under a "culture of fear."

The culture and governance review was commissioned by NHS Forth Valley after unions said they feared problems could compromise patient safety.

BMA Scotland, the industry body for doctors, said losing healthcare professionals from the NHS because of a lack of support and care was "a matter of grave concern".

The body's deputy chair, Dr Lailah Peel, said: "Staff are on their knees and patient care is suffering - a scenario we have warned of for some time.

"Equally, we have long been clear that the culture in our NHS was not good enough. Bullying remains far too rife and there is a culture of blame and acrimony rather than open and honest learning.

"There simply has to be concerted work to transform this and make our NHS a better place to work, to ensure we retain the doctors and their colleagues that we need more than ever."