Councillor in hospital visit ban

By Angie Brown
BBC Scotland news website, Edinburgh and East reporter

Ellen Glass is West Lothian Council's health and care executive councillor

A senior councillor has been banned from entering a West Lothian hospital unless she is escorted by management.

Ellen Glass, West Lothian Council's health and care executive councillor, is accused by NHS Lothian of a possible "serious breach of data protection".

Ms Glass, a member of the Action to Save St John's Hospital, admits she wrote down a figure from a piece of paper on a charge nurse's desk.

NHS Lothian said it was investigating the incident at St John's Hospital.

It is understood Ms Glass entered St John's Hospital following a complaint the staffing levels were low.

While she was there she wrote down a piece of information which was on a charge nurse's desk in ward 14.

Ms Glass claims the piece of data was written on a piece of paper glued to the desk in a "public place".

Confidential material

James McCaffery, chief operating officer for acute services at NHS Lothian, said: "We are investigating a report by nursing staff of a possible serious breach of data protection and misrepresentation.

"NHS Lothian takes patient and staff confidentiality extremely seriously and the chairman has written to Cllr Glass as part of this investigation.

"Cllr Glass only needs to contact the St John's site manager if she wants to visit the hospital or attend the annual service of remembrance."

Councillor Gordon Beurskens, Action to Save St John's Hospital spokesman, said on behalf of Ms Glass the allegations were "utter nonsense".

He said: "Ellen was following up a constituent's enquiry (who was a patient in St John's Hospital) that the ward they were in was understaffed and the sickness and absence rate was extremely high.

"Her attention was drawn to a piece of paper that was taped to a public desk.

"Are they seriously suggesting that they tape private and confidential material to desks which anyone can look at.

"If they are then I suggest they look at how they deal with this 'sensitive' material. What happens if Ellen needs to visit one of her constituents who is a patient?"

NHS Lothian sent a letter to Ms Glass on Friday asking her to return any notes she wrote down at the hospital and to explain to her that she is to be escorted by senior managers if she enters the hospital in future.

A West Lothian Council spokesman said: "We are aware of the content of this letter, which is now receiving our consideration."