A leading consultant microbiologist who played a pivotal role in exposing the devastating infections scandal at Scotland's flagship £1 billion superhospital has issued a stark warning that patients continue to die due to what she describes as 'appalling' policies governing those who attempt to raise safety concerns.
Decade-Long Battle for Patient Safety
Dr Christine Peters, who faced sustained bullying and ridicule from senior management when she first highlighted critical problems at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QEUH) campus following its 2015 opening, has detailed how systemic failures persist. After seven years of official denials, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde last month reversed its position, admitting there was 'probably' a 'causal' link between rare infections in cancer patients and the hospital's faulty water system. The health board subsequently apologised to Dr Peters and two of her whistleblowing colleagues for their treatment.
Open Letter to Health Authorities
In a powerful open letter sent to Health Secretary Neil Gray and the Scottish Public Service Ombudsman (SPSO), Dr Peters declared that NHS staff still confront a 'dire situation' when trying to raise legitimate concerns, with fatal consequences for patients. She wrote: 'As someone who identified those problems and raised the alarm over ten years, I'm writing to alert you to the dire situation NHS staff continue to face in whistleblowing. There is a pressing need for firm actions to address the intractable failures in culture around raising patient safety concerns.'
Dr Peters emphasised the human cost, stating: 'The cost of a defunct concern-raising process is that preventable death and suffering continue unabated. Getting it right would mean saved lives, reduced suffering, security for staff and prevention of money being squandered. This cannot wait.'
Systemic Failures Across NHS Departments
The consultant microbiologist revealed that the internal NHS systems for raising concerns remain 'not consistently safe' for staff, with colleagues confiding in her about their own traumatic experiences. She explained: 'Colleagues have reached out to me to share their, at times horrific, recent experiences of trying to raise real and serious patient safety concerns. This covers areas such as maternity care, emergency care, and radiology, as well as my own concerns about infection prevention and control.'
Dr Peters delivered a damning assessment of current policies: 'The NHS's so-called "whistleblowing policies" look good… but they are implemented appallingly. I urge you not to be complacent just because you have these policies in place. You need to speak directly to people who have experienced internal NHS maltreatment… and listen to them.'
Whistleblowing Office 'Not Fit for Purpose'
Dr Peters sent her letter ahead of a scheduled meeting between Mr Gray and the SPSO, which also oversees the Independent National Whistleblowing Office (INWO) – an organisation intended to provide a secure environment for those raising concerns. She declared the entire system 'not fit for purpose', revealing that investigations into concerns she raised in November 2021 were inexplicably 'dropped' due to the ongoing Scottish Hospitals Inquiry, despite some issues being unrelated to the QEUH.
'These involved high-risk patients and included photographic and written evidence of infection risks from the built environment that had not been dealt with internally in a satisfactory manner,' Dr Peters explained. 'Three years of investigation later, I was told that those investigations were now dropped due to the public inquiry. This was despite the fact that these were urgent issues needing immediate intervention, and my worst fears about these situations were later realised.'
Cultural Problems and False Dichotomies
The 51-year-old specialist identified a 'false dichotomy' between personal grievance issues and patient safety matters, which she says enables health bosses to habitually portray those raising safety concerns as having 'behaviour problems'. She concluded her letter with a powerful statement: 'I have been called "brave" for raising issues, but this should not be the case. I do not believe that fear and dread should be sitting with those simply doing their duty. We need to reverse the balance of power and uproot procedural injustices so that patients can get the best possible outcomes and our staff are allowed to do the right thing without being harmed, sometimes irreparably.'
Government Response and Ongoing Dialogue
Health Secretary Neil Gray responded by stating: 'When any concern is raised, I expect boards to treat it with the utmost seriousness and ensure it is thoroughly investigated, ensuring no individual suffers any repercussions. I am happy to consider any further ideas to improve support for whistleblowers.' He added that all health service workers should have confidence to raise concerns and that he has been 'absolutely clear' with boards about protecting whistleblowers.
Mr Gray confirmed there are dedicated Whistleblowing Champions in each health board to ensure staff are encouraged and supported to speak up, and that he will reiterate these points during his meeting with the Independent National Whistleblowing Officer this week. The Health Secretary confirmed he will respond formally to Dr Peters's letter in due course, as the debate about NHS whistleblowing culture and patient safety continues to intensify across Scotland's healthcare system.
