SCOTLAND’S NHS watchdog was due to face questions from Scottish Health Secretary Neil Gray today amid a crisis of confidence in its handling of hospital safety concerns.

Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS) received complaints from 29 A&E consultants almost a year ago that patient safety was being put at risk at Glasgow’s Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QEUH) because of understaffing and overcrowding in A&E.

But the watchdog has had to apologise to the complainants after they challenged an investigative process that took no evidence from them and closed just three months later having only spoken to senior NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde (NHSGGC) executives.

The “sincere, unreserved” apology offered in a letter to the consultants from HIS chief executive Robbie Pearson will not be the end of the matter, according to Mr Gray.

In an interview on BBC Radio Scotland this morning, he described the situation as “obviously not acceptable” and said: “I’m going to be meeting with HIS today to find out exactly what has happened, why they’ve had to apologise and how we can ensure this situation doesn’t happen again, because clearly it is of critical importance that medical professionals are able to raise concerns about patient safety and be taken seriously and their concerns acted upon.”

But the HIS apology and the promised intervention from Mr Gray have done little to reassure the medical profession that their concerns over endemic shortstaffing and groaning waiting lists are being heard.

BMA Scotland deputy chairman Dr Hugh Pearson has expressed doubts that doctors can expect their complaints to be thoroughly investigated.

He said: “In this case, you’ve got 29 consultants, which I think is pretty much everyone who worked at that hospital at that level in A&E, raising concerns about direct patient harm caused by overcrowding and staff shortages and not being listened to by hospital management. I think the sad reality is there are doctors across this country who will recognise this.”

A spokesman for NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde said: “We are committed to improving the patient experience at the QEUH and have been working with consultants within the emergency department alongside HIS following concerns raised around staffing and capacity levels.

“The emergency department team are involved in hospital-wide plans to support the department by relieving pressures on the front door and improving overall patient safety, which remains our top priority.”