Scottish Labour Leader Demands Transparency in Glasgow Hospital Safety Scandal
Anas Sarwar, the leader of Scottish Labour, has issued a forceful demand for the Scottish government to publish comprehensive patient safety reviews for every ward and unit within the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QEUH) campus in Glasgow. This call comes as the public inquiry into the hospital's design and construction concludes its hearings, following years of controversy linked to patient deaths from infections.
Families Join Sarwar in Plea for Accountability
Sarwar made his statement while standing alongside grieving families, including Maureen Dynes and Kimberly Darroch, who have lost loved ones to infections contracted at the hospital. These tragic cases involve children and adults who were undergoing cancer treatment at the facility, highlighting severe systemic failures.
The inquiry has heard harrowing testimonies, such as that of 10-year-old Milly Main, who died in August 2017 after developing an infection during her recovery from leukaemia treatment. Similarly, 23-year-old Molly Cuddihy passed away last August, having previously told the inquiry that the hospital environment made her sicker.
Sarwar Challenges Government Claims and Calls for Action
Sarwar has directly challenged First Minister John Swinney's assertion that the Scottish government only became aware of problems at QEUH in March 2018. He labelled this claim as "not credible", pointing to internal reports that raised concerns before the hospital even opened in April 2015.
"This was categorically untrue," Sarwar stated, explaining that health secretaries must be informed immediately of any red warnings issued at hospitals. A such warning was issued at QEUH in June 2017, yet no action was taken, which Sarwar argues demonstrates "negligence or criminal incompetence." He has previously called for a corporate manslaughter investigation to be expanded to include serving government ministers at the time.
Revelations of Pressure to Open Despite Risks
Recent disclosures from NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde have revealed that the hospital building was not ready for its scheduled opening. However, "pressure was applied to open ... on time and on budget," according to the health board. This admission raises critical questions about who exerted this pressure and why, especially given an internal report weeks before opening that warned of high infection risks for immunocompromised children.
Sarwar emphasised that the inquiry has found "precious little" evidence that the health board has learned from its past mistakes, underscoring the urgent need for transparency and systemic change.
Families' Heartfelt Appeals for Justice and Prevention
Kimberly Darroch, mother of the late Milly Main, made an emotional appeal at the press conference, urging the health board to "finally do the right thing." She called for full admission of where, when, and why failures occurred to prevent future tragedies.
"We need to prevent this from ever happening again," Darroch said, criticising the Scottish government's inaction for failing families and their children. She also expressed gratitude to three senior doctors who recently described being belittled by hospital management when they raised early concerns about infection control issues related to water and ventilation systems.
Darroch thanked these doctors for their "courage, resilience and for standing up for our children and loved ones when no one else would." The Scottish government has been approached for comment on these serious allegations, as the scandal continues to unfold with profound implications for patient safety and public trust in Scotland's healthcare system.
