Pigeon-dropping deaths raise wider questions about SNP’s NHS record

24 Jan 2019

The deaths at a Glasgow hospital from infections linked to pigeon droppings raise wider questions about the SNP’s stewardship of the NHS, the Scottish Conservatives have said.

Interim leader Jackson Carlaw told Nicola Sturgeon that public confidence in the Queen Elizabeth hospital was shaken following the scandal.

At First Minister’s Questions today, he said the incident was the latest in a catalogue of problems at the £840 million flagship facility, which only opened in 2015.

Two people, one of whom was a child, died after contracting an infection which came from pigeon droppings in the hospital, sparking an official Scottish Government review.

Yesterday, the Scottish Conservatives revealed the number of workers within maintenance and estate at NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde has been cut in recent years.

Now the party says the scandal points to wider problems within the SNP-run health service across the board.

Scottish Conservative interim leader Jackson Carlaw said:

“Anyone using the Queen Elizabeth hospital deserves to do so safely and securely.

“However, that confidence will have been shaken in light of recent events.

“This alarming story has also raised wider questions about the SNP government’s record on the NHS.

“There is now a £900 million maintenance backlog in the NHS estate, which perhaps explains why we are seeing worrying incidents such as the one at the Queen Elizabeth.

“And what’s more, the SNP government hasn’t even planned a way to deal with this.

“This can’t be blamed simply on a lack of resources, especially with record investment coming north through the Barnett Formula.

“Nicola Sturgeon needs to set out a sustainable long-term plan for the future of the NHS in Scotland.”