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Nicola Sturgeon has firmly denied claims that she exerted pressure to open Scotland’s largest hospital ahead of schedule or that she was aware of safety concerns involving the hospital’s water system. These statements follow similar denials from First Minister John Swinney, who was challenged by opposition MSPs in the Scottish Parliament earlier this week. The controversy surrounds the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QEUH) in Glasgow, a complex that replaced three older hospitals when it opened in 2015.
A lengthy inquiry looking into the design and construction of the QEUH has recently concluded. This investigation was prompted after multiple deaths were linked to infections allegedly caused by issues with the hospital’s water system. NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) only admitted last week that problems with the water system probably led to infections in child cancer patients, reversing its earlier stance denying such links.
As the former First Minister at the time of the hospital’s opening, Nicola Sturgeon expressed hope that the inquiry would provide answers to those affected. She stated, “Any suggestion that I applied pressure for the hospital to open before it was ready or that I had any knowledge of safety concerns at that time are completely untrue.” She also emphasized the importance of transparency for the grieving families, noting that the independent public inquiry had access to all relevant material and had taken evidence from anyone it deemed necessary.
The £31 million inquiry was established in 2020 following fatalities, including the case of 10-year-old Milly Main, who died after contracting an infection while recovering from leukaemia at the Royal Hospital for Children, located on the same campus as the QEUH. Milly’s mother, Kimberly Darroch, expressed frustration that families have only been given “half a story” about the events leading to their loved ones’ deaths, despite the inquiry’s closure. Responding to the hospital board’s admission linking fatal infections to its water system after previously denying it, Ms. Darroch said, “It made me extremely angry when I first heard they had changed their position. I feel like they have caused unnecessary grief and it should have come out right at the beginning that there was an issue, we all knew there was an issue.” Regarding closure, she added, “No. I feel like we’re only getting half a story from them, and that’s why I ask them to tell us the truth.”
Further investigations are ongoing, including a corporate homicide inquiry launched in 2021 connected to the deaths of Milly, two other children, and 73-year-old Gail Armstrong, as well as a separate probe opened last year into the death of a young woman who suffered an infection potentially acquired at the hospital. NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde has issued a “sincere and unreserved apology” to those affected and affirmed that both hospitals are now safe. The board also acknowledged that three whistleblowers were not treated appropriately, which significantly affected their wellbeing.
During the inquiry’s final day of hearings, senior counsel Fred Mackintosh KC criticized NHSGGC for initially denying and then delaying acknowledgment of the infection problems, stating that this approach had “severely impacted” the inquiry’s effectiveness. He accused senior managers of exhibiting “wilful blindness” towards issues linked to the QEUH building’s design, particularly with water and ventilation systems. Mackintosh noted that a delayed admission by the health board regarding the linkage between pediatric infections and unsafe infrastructure “substantially reflects what the case notes review concluded in March 2021.” The counsel urged recognition that the health board’s handling of the situation hindered the inquiry’s work.
Families of affected patients issued a statement through legal representatives shortly before the inquiry’s closing submissions, describing how they felt “lied to,” “demeaned,” and “smeared.” They claimed that defects in the hospital’s environment “killed and poisoned our loved ones,” expressing dismay over what they perceived as a “deceitful and dishonest” health board. The families underscored the lasting harm caused, with some relatives dead and others suffering severe lifelong consequences. Calling on political leaders to take action, they stated their belief that the hospital building remains unsafe.
In response, NHSGGC published an apology acknowledging past failings in culture and communication, promising to learn from these and to continue improving governance and oversight. The health board highlighted steps taken to address issues proactively and reactively and committed to timely implementation of changes. The public inquiry’s oral hearings have now concluded, with Lord Brodie expected to release a full report and recommendations at an unspecified future date
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