Cancer patients were exposed to increased risk at flagship hospital

15 Jun 2020

Cancer patients were exposed to a higher risk of infection at the SNP’s flagship hospital because of flaws in the design process, a report has found.

The independent probe into deaths at the Queen Elizabeth hospital was published today, and identified a “series of problems” with the construction of the £800 million Glasgow facility.

That followed deaths of cancer patients which was linked to contaminated water.

And today, co-chair of the investigation Dr Andrew Fraser said: “These specific groups have been exposed to risk that could have been lower if the correct design, build and commissioning had taken place.”

The Scottish Conservatives have said the SNP government now has series of questions to answer about what was supposed to be a world-leading hospital.

Scottish Conservative shadow health secretary Miles Briggs said:

“This is an explosive report which presents yet more questions regarding what SNP ministers knew and when.

“It very clearly concludes that patients young and old with cancer – the same group from which people died – were placed at increased risk because of the building and design of the hospital.

“That’s an utterly damning verdict on this SNP government which planned, commissioned and built this hospital.

“Dr Fraser and Dr Montgomery have also expressed significant concerns about transparency and governance for both the Queen Elizabeth and Sick Kids construction projects.

“Above all, patients and families want answers and the independent public inquiry which is to now proceed must be able to undertake that work and have full transparency and access to provide answers.

“It is clear we have seen a loss in public confidence in both state of the art hospitals. That confidence needs to be restored as soon as possible.”