29 Dec 2019
Patients and families affected by the crisis at Scotland’s £800 million flagship hospital can’t wait any longer for answers from the health secretary, the Scottish Conservatives have said.
Jeane Freeman must make a statement to Holyrood at the earliest opportunity, which is Tuesday, and finally give those impacted by the scandal the explanation they need.
She had originally planned to come before MSPs on December 10, but shadow health secretary Miles Briggs said that wasn’t soon enough.
This morning, yet more revelations were reported about the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Glasgow, including the allegation that health chiefs have known about contaminated water for years.
That same water is being linked to the deaths of at least two children, and families have accused Ms Freeman of covering up details of the investigation.
Scottish Conservative shadow health secretary Miles Briggs said:
“The absolute priority here has to be getting answers for the families who’ve been so terribly affected by these failings.
“The cycle of damning news stories breaking and Jeane Freeman shrugging her shoulders must end now.
“We need to hear from the health secretary on Tuesday – and this time her answers need to be to the satisfaction of the families.
“The SNP has to take full responsibility for this – it planned, opened, and runs the hospital.
“We’re not talking about an old Victorian building which has historic maintenance issues – this is a brand new facility which the nationalists themselves said would be a world-class facility.
“Instead, it’s been nothing short of a disaster.
“If Jeane Freeman doesn’t appear before the Scottish Parliament on Tuesday with a thorough, sincere and convincing update of what’s happened, she shouldn’t bother coming back at all.”
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