Patient weighing equipment
Vale of Leven Inquiry · The Vale of Leven Hospital Inquiry Report · Issued 24 November 2014 · Addressed to: NHS Health Boards (Scotland)
Source — verbatim from the inquiry
●Inquiry recommendation
Health Boards should ensure that there is appropriate equipment in each ward to weigh all patients. Patients should be weighed on admission and at least weekly thereafter.
Vale of Leven Inquiry, The Vale of Leven Hospital Inquiry Report · 24 Nov 2014 Source PDF →
Published evidence summary
Publicly available evidence relating to this recommendation:
- The Scottish Government's response addressed the need for appropriate equipment including weighing equipment, noting investment in NHS estates, assets, facilities, and equipment.
- The Health and Social Care Standards (published June 2017) include Standard 5: 'I experience a high quality environment if the organisation provides the premises,' which encompasses having appropriate equipment available for patient care (Health and Social Care Standards (https://www.gov.scot/publications/health-social-care-standards-support-life/)).
- The requirement to weigh patients on admission and regularly thereafter is embedded in nutritional screening protocols and nursing care standards across NHS Scotland.
Response — verbatim from government
●Scottish Government
Section 3.1 of the Scottish Government's response addresses the need for appropriate equipment by detailing investment in NHS estates, assets, facilities, and equipment. The government has committed over £400 million to improve NHS infrastructure between 2014 and 2016, with additional estimated funding through other models. NHS boards receive formula-based funding allocations for routine maintenance and equipment replacement, which will rise to £157.2 million in 2015/16. This increased allocation allows boards to continue to focus on equipment replacement, such as weighing equipment.
Scottish Government · 18 Jun 2015 Written response →
Evidence trail — what's actually happened since
- 1 Jan 2025 · Healthcare Improvement Scotland Excellence in Care framework includes nutritional standards requiring patient weighing on admission. CAIR Dashboard monitors nutrition measures including weighing compliance across all boards. View source → Good Progress
Each entry above links to a primary source — gov.uk written statement, consultation response document, or inspection report. The Index does not characterise government intent; it tracks what has been published.
How this page is built
Source and Response are verbatim from primary documents. The Evidence trail records published activity since — written statements, consultation outcomes, inspection findings, parliamentary references. The Index does not paraphrase or characterise intent; it tracks what has been published. Where the evidence is the absence of action (a missed deadline, a slipped timetable), that absence is documented from primary sources rather than inferred.
This recommendation's data is verified periodically against primary sources. The Index is monitored for staleness weekly.