Families of patients who suffered or died after contracting infections at Scotland's largest hospital say they were misled, discredited, and slandered. The Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QEUH) in Glasgow opened in 2015, but the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) has since admitted that it opened too early and had design flaws. Infections in some cancer patients were likely linked to issues with the hospital's water system, according to the health board. NHSGGC has offered an apology, but families are demanding accountability and justice.
Thompsons Solicitors, representing the affected families, issued a statement. They claim that major flaws in the hospital's water and ventilation systems "killed and poisoned our loved ones." The families accuse the Greater Glasgow and Clyde Health Board (GGCH) of lying, disbelieving, and discrediting them. They feel their families have been devastated and their lives traumatized by the hospital's negligence.
The families are calling for those responsible to be held accountable, including the removal of pensions for those involved. They also urge political leaders to take action, stating that the QEUH is not a safe hospital and that the current leadership of GGCH cannot be trusted. The families appreciate the efforts of the brave and decent clinicians and staff who tried to speak out but were silenced by the health board.
The Scottish Hospitals Inquiry, prompted by concerns about patient safety, is examining the hospital's planning, design, construction, and maintenance. It has been informed by a series of infections and deaths, including that of 10-year-old Milly Main. The inquiry will hear closing statements from the families and is expected to publish a report later this year.
The inquiry has also raised questions about the health board's handling of concerns raised by medics, with the board's lawyer acknowledging unfair criticisms of whistleblowers. Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar has called for an investigation into the First Minister John Swinney and former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon over the hospital's failures. The NHSGGC is under investigation for corporate homicide, focusing on the deaths of Milly Main, two other children, and a 73-year-old woman.
The Glasgow hospital campus, including the QEUH and the Royal Hospital for Children, opened in 2015 after a £840 million renovation. However, within a few years, multiple patient deaths and infections raised concerns about the water and ventilation systems. A public inquiry was ordered in 2019, which also examined issues at the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People in Edinburgh, where safety concerns led to a last-minute delay in opening.
