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Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar has presented what he describes as compelling evidence indicating that political pressure influenced the premature opening of Scotland’s largest hospital despite known safety concerns. This hospital, the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QEUH) in Glasgow, officially opened in 2015 but has since been associated with serious issues, including infections linked to its water system. Both the Scottish government and NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) have rejected claims that the health board was coerced into launching the facility before it was fully prepared.
At a session of First Minister’s Questions, Sarwar revealed government meeting notes that referenced the presence of “political pressure” felt by the health board. He argued that these documents clearly demonstrate the external forces that compelled the hospital’s early opening, which disregarded unresolved problems related to its completion and operational readiness. According to Sarwar, the consequences of such political interference have been severe, involving misleading of families, staff mistreatment, and infections that resulted in the deaths of children, and potentially adults.
In response to these allegations, John Swinney emphasized that the ongoing Scottish Hospital Inquiry, initiated by his government, will comprehensively investigate the circumstances surrounding the design, construction, and opening of the QEUH. He maintained that the inquiry, which is expected to deliver a final report, will clarify the extent to which political factors influenced decision-making. Swinney also denied that Sarwar’s documents constitute definitive proof of political pressure, citing the inquiry’s lead counsel, Fred Mackintosh KC, who reportedly found no evidence of external influence on the health board.
Earlier statements from NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde acknowledged internal pressures to open the hospital ahead of schedule back in 2015, but denied any externally imposed demands. Opposition politicians have argued this timing was linked to the run-up to the 2015 general election, a suggestion rejected by Swinney and former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon. The health board reiterated that the pressure reported in previous comments was internal in nature. Despite this, Sarwar insists the meeting notes clearly indicate external political pressure, asserting that politics was prioritized over patient safety, with devastating effects
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