Nicola Sturgeon defended an independent review of infection control at Scotland’s flagship hospital after claims families are still “in the dark”.
The First Minister responded to concerns raised by the family of 10-year-old Milly Main who were not contacted by the group probing a deaths at Queen Elizabeth University Hospital.
The review spoke to families of three patients who died between December 2018 and February 2019, following concerns infections were linked to the way the hospital was built. Milly, who was recovering from leukaemia, died after contracting an infection there in August 2017.
Today, Nicola Sturgeon said: “To the mother of Milly, and indeed to any parent who has concerns or whose children have been affected by circumstances at the hospital - there is a determination to make sure they get answers as far as that is possible. That’s why the public inquiry, which this report will feed into is so important.”
The review of the children’s hospital at the Glasgow site judged “certain aspects” of the building design “increased the risk of Healthcare Associated Infection”. But it found no “evidential basis” they caused avoidable deaths. Two other probes, including a public inquiry, will be carried out.
Milly’s mum, Kimberley Darroch, said today: “I'm disappointed the review hasn’t given us any answers about Milly’s death.
“We weren’t spoken to as part of the review, but we hoped it might help us understand more about why Milly contracted an infection. We feel we’re still in the dark.”
She added: “I don’t understand how they can claim there is no evidence linking failures in the hospital design to avoidable deaths. I don’t feel the report has restored any trust in the health board.”
Scotland’s health secretary, Jeane Freeman, said the review was among three pieces of work being carried to “learn lessons” in the NHS.
Freeman said: “There is ongoing liaison with those families. I appreciate that for many of them, reading this report will not provide them specific answers to the situation that they or their child faced, particularly where they’re in a position where they have sadly lost a child.
“The independent review would not be able to do that but the oversight work, the independent case note review and importantly the public inquiry will all address those issues. This is one part of significant part that is under way.”
The deaths had been linked to rare microorganisms, leading to fears the building was in part to blame. A report last year concluded there was widespread contamination in the £842 million Queen Elizabeth campus, which includes the Royal Hospital for Children.
In all, 63 recommendations were made in today’s review report led by Dr Andrew Fraser and Dr Brian Montgomery.
It criticised water stagnations in single-occupancy rooms, lack of air ventilation, the design of hot and cold water systems and problems with the heat and power plant.
But it concluded: “Nonethless, there is no evidence in our review of a causal link with infections in QEUH.”
