Former First Minister Denies Pressure Allegations
Nicola Sturgeon has rejected claims that she pressured officials to open Scotland’s largest hospital before it was ready. She also said she did not know about safety problems linked to the hospital’s water system at the time.
Her comments follow similar denials from current First Minister John Swinney. Opposition MSPs raised the issue during a recent Holyrood debate.
Inquiry Into Hospital Deaths Concludes
A public inquiry into the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital complex has now ended. The investigation began after several deaths were linked to infections at the site.
Last week, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde admitted that faults in the water system likely caused infections in child cancer patients.
Sturgeon led the Scottish government when the hospital opened. She said she hopes the inquiry brings clarity to affected families.
She added that claims she pushed for an early opening or knew about safety risks were false.
Families Still Seek Answers
The inquiry was launched in 2020 and cost £31 million. It followed deaths, including that of ten-year-old Milly Main.
Milly’s mother, Kimberly Darroch, said families were still not being told the full truth. She said the health board’s admission about the water system made her angry.
She added that the delay caused more pain and should never have happened.
When asked if she felt closer to closure, she said she did not. She said families were still hearing only part of the story.
Infections and Ongoing Investigations
Milly caught an infection in 2017 while receiving treatment at the Royal Hospital for Children. The hospital sits on the same campus as the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital.
Police launched a corporate homicide investigation in 2021. It covers the deaths of Milly, two other children, and a seventy-three-year-old woman.
Prosecutors later opened another investigation into a separate infection-related death.
The health board has since issued an apology. It said both hospitals are now safe.
Criticism of Health Board Leadership
During the final hearings, senior counsel Fred Mackintosh said the health board’s early denials slowed the inquiry’s work. He said managers failed to question safety risks and ignored warning signs.
He added that links between infections and the water system were clear years earlier.
Families also released a statement saying the health board misled and mistreated them. They said building faults caused serious harm and death.
The group called on politicians to take action and said safety concerns remain.
What Happens Next
Friday marked the final day of oral evidence. The inquiry chair, Lord Brodie, will publish a full report later.
No date has been set for its release.
