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Relatives of patients who contracted infections while receiving treatment at Scotland’s largest hospital have expressed feelings of betrayal, describing how they were misled, belittled, and disparaged. The Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QEUH) in Glasgow, which opened its doors in 2015, has since faced scrutiny from NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC), who admitted that the hospital was prematurely opened and suffered from design flaws. These issues were linked in part to problems with the hospital’s water system, which were believed to have contributed to infections in some cancer patients.
NHSGGC issued a sincere and unreserved apology to those affected, emphasizing that the hospital is currently safe. A spokesperson highlighted that considerable measures have been implemented to correct the building’s previous physical defects, along with ongoing maintenance and monitoring programmes. They reiterated the commitment of the staff to delivering safe and high-quality care. In submissions to the Scottish Hospitals Inquiry, NHSGGC acknowledged a probable causal link between infections and the hospital environment, especially its water system, but clarified there was no definitive connection established to particular individual infections.
Representing many affected families, Thompsons Solicitors released a powerful statement condemning the health board’s actions. They accused NHSGGC of deceiving families, dismissing their concerns, and attacking their credibility, which led to devastating consequences. The statement read, “We were all lied to by GGCH. We were all disbelieved by GGCH. We were all demeaned and smeared by GGCH. We have all had our families devastated and our lives traumatised by GGCH.” Furthermore, they criticized the health board for its dishonesty and cowardice throughout the unfolding scandal, underscoring how patients, including men, women, and children, became ill or died while being told “there is nothing to see here.”
The families have demanded accountability, calling for those responsible—both former and current leadership—to face repercussions and have their pensions revoked. They question the hospital’s safety, doubting that current leadership can effectively safeguard patients. Despite this, the families expressed gratitude toward the clinicians and staff who attempted to raise concerns but were silenced by the health board, acknowledging the support these individuals gave them during the crisis.
The Scottish Hospitals Inquiry, set in motion due to concerns about patient safety after several infections and deaths—including that of 10-year-old Milly Main, who contracted an infection at the Royal Hospital for Children on the QEUH campus—is nearing its conclusion with final submissions being heard. During the proceedings, Lord Brodie, the inquiry chair, queried why the health board had shifted its stance after previously accusing whistleblowers of unprofessional conduct and malevolence. Health board lawyer Peter Gray admitted that some criticisms of whistleblowers were neither helpful nor fair, describing the hospital leadership’s failure to listen as an organizational issue. Changes have since been implemented to address this failure.
Amid ongoing investigations, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar called for political figures, including the First Minister and former First Minister, to be examined regarding their roles in the hospital failings. NHSGGC has also been named in a corporate homicide probe connected to several deaths at the hospital campus, including those of Milly Main, two other children, and an elderly woman. Additionally, the death of Molly Cuddihy last year is under investigation by the Crown Office.
The QEUH and the Royal Hospital for Children together form the Glasgow hospital campus, which was constructed at a cost of £840 million and replaced three older city hospitals upon its opening in 2015. However, within a few years, multiple infections and deaths raised serious questions about the hospital’s water and ventilation systems. In response to these concerns, former Health Secretary Jeane Freeman ordered a public inquiry in 2019 that also addressed safety issues at the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People in Edinburgh. The Edinburgh hospital’s opening had been postponed due to ventilation system safety worries. The inquiry’s interim report on the Edinburgh facility revealed that a spreadsheet error by the health board resulted in incorrect system specifications, further highlighting management failures affecting patient safety
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