Death of another child at Glasgow hospital prompts fresh probe

The young child, who contracted an infection while in the hospital, passed away at the beginning of the week. It is understood they were moved between several wards prior to their death, according to a report in the Herald on Sunday.

Infection control experts met at the hospital to discuss the latest case and discover where the infection came from.

It is also understood that three more patients with hospital-acquired infections have been reported to Health Protection Scotland from the adjacent Royal Hospital for Children in the last three weeks.

The watchdog has yet to confirm the severity of the cases.

This latest tragedy has sparked even more concerns about the safety of the facility for child cancer patients, who are now being treated in ward 6A after it reopened last week.

The ward was closed down in August after three young people were struck down by bugs in a two week period while staying there.

They had been transferred there from ward 2A in the adjacent Royal Hospital for Children, which was also closed after dozens of patients contracted infections.

A report leaked by a whistleblower earlier this week indicated that the Greater Glasgow and Clyde board was told areas of the flagship £800 million QEUH campus were at a "high risk" of infection before opening in 2015.

Another two reports, also leaked to Labour MSP Anas Sarwar, suggest issues were still pervasive at the hospital in 2017 and 2018.

The death of 10-year-old Milly Main in August 2017 after she had beaten cancer has been linked to an infection caused by contaminated water at the site.

Following a meeting attended by 15 parents with children receiving treatment at the campus, parents said that they do not believe they are being told the truth and are "not getting answers" about infections from water.

Monica Lennon, Labour's health spokeswoman said: “This is heartbreaking news and my thoughts are with the family at this very sad and difficult time.

“They will rightly need answers and they should be kept fully informed as the investigation progresses.

“It must be established if the infection was linked to the water supply and there must be an urgent update from Ministers and the health board on the safety of the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital.

“Many parents are still feeling anxious and unhappy with the way NHSGGC is communicating with them, despite the board insisting there are no safety issues.

“There is a crisis in confidence in the health board and the Scottish Government has been too slow to act.

"It’s going to take a long time to rebuild trust because there has been a lack of transparency for too long.

“Any immediate action needed to address ongoing and emerging patient safety issues at the hospital must be taken.”

Miles Briggs MSP, Shadow Health Secretary said: “My thoughts and condolences are with the family at this unimaginably difficult time.

“Families need to be told the truth as to what has happened at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital and from the outset that is what I have sought to achieve.

“It is clear that an urgent investigation must now proceed to establish the true facts and whether the infection developed in the hospital.

“Scottish Conservatives are demanding Jeane Freeman comes to Holyrood On Tuesday to make an urgent statement.

“Families and NHS staff have lost confidence in Jeane Freeman and SNP Ministers to provide full transparency and the leadership needed to address the crisis now engulfing Scotland’s £800 million flagship hospital.

“The crisis engulfing the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital is totally unacceptable. It’s time for the First Minister to take charge and step in to demonstrate the Government are actually in control and can provide answers to the safety concerns parents and families are expressing.”

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde said: "We need to take care when discussing individual cases as we are bound by strict rules of patient confidentiality.

"The issue is being appropriately managed and Health protection Scotland has been informed.

"As this involves a single case we have we have no further comment to make."

A Scottish Government spokeswoman said: "Our deepest sympathies go to the family of this patient.

“It would be inappropriate to comment on any individual’s care. Incident Management Teams meet as part of ongoing care and treatment across our hospitals and are part of good clinical governance procedures.”

“This case will also be part of the work we are undertaking through the escalation oversight board chaired by Chief Nursing Officer, Professor Fiona McQueen."