Hospital Openings Delayed by 'Repeated Mistakes' from QEUH, Claims Sarwar
The Scottish Government has been accused of making "repeated mistakes" with ventilation and water safety issues at a flagship Glasgow hospital that have allegedly been replicated at health facilities across Scotland. During First Minister's Questions at Holyrood on Thursday, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar asserted that problems highlighted at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QEUH) have been repeated at now-delayed hospitals in Edinburgh and Aberdeen.
QEUH Inquiry and Ongoing Concerns
The QEUH, one of the largest hospitals in the United Kingdom, is currently subject to a national inquiry following deaths and infections linked to its water and ventilation systems. Health Secretary Neil Gray informed Parliament last week that mould growth had recently been discovered in one of the rooms on the bone marrow transplant ward at the QEUH.
Mr Sarwar told MSPs: "More than a decade ago, the SNP Government opened a hospital in Glasgow that was not safe because of ventilation issues and water safety. Four years later in Edinburgh, the opening of the sick kids hospital was delayed because of ventilation and water issues. Now in Aberdeen, it's emerged that the new Baird Family Hospital and Anchor Centre are delayed, again because of ventilation issues and water safety."
Three Hospitals, Three Cities
The Labour leader continued: "Three hospitals in three cities which sum up the mess the SNP have made of running our country. At the core of all of this is the lie and the cover-up at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital. Had they told the truth then and confronted the problems, then the mistakes would not have been repeated. Instead, that lie has cost the public purse millions and meant delayed and defective hospitals. Tragically, that lie has cost lives. Why was that lie more important to John Swinney than patient safety?"
Specific Hospital Delays
The opening of the Edinburgh hospital was delayed after the Scottish Hospitals Inquiry found NHS Lothian failed to provide clear ventilation requirements for the building. It was discovered that human error in a spreadsheet meant air changes in critical care wards were designed at half the recommended safety standards.
The Baird Family Hospital in Aberdeen was originally planned to open in 2020, but building work was delayed until 2021. NHS Grampian has now indicated that the Baird is not expected to be operational until early 2027. Reports suggest the build has encountered a host of problems, including issues with ventilation and its water system.
Swinney's Response and Denial
First Minister John Swinney told Mr Sarwar there was "no cover-up," and the Scottish Government took caution with the other hospitals after issues arose at the QEUH. He stated: "Mr Sarwar's language is the language of a desperate man, and he should think twice about the language that he uses in this Parliament, because in a climate where we need to undertake respectful debate, there is nothing respectful about the language that Mr Sarwar has used."
Mr Swinney elaborated: "I'm going to walk my way through these different issues, because it is important I give Parliament and the public a clear answer on this question. There were issues that arose from the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital that resulted in the Scottish Government commissioning a public inquiry that is still sitting looking at those issues, and we await the findings of (inquiry chairman) Lord Brodie."
Government's Cautionary Approach
The First Minister explained: "Because of the issues that emerged at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, my late colleague (former health secretary) Jeane Freeman stopped the opening of the children's hospital in Edinburgh because she was concerned about safety issues. There was no cover-up. There was no ignoring the reality. Jeane Freeman took a decision not to open the children's hospital in Edinburgh for the very reasons of responding to the issues about the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital."
He added: "The Baird and Anchor in Aberdeen are delayed because of that same cautionary approach taken in Edinburgh is being taken in the Baird and Anchor, that is because this Government takes the issue of patient safety seriously, and it always will under my leadership."
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, NHS Grampian and NHS Lothian have been approached for comment regarding these allegations and delays.
