Calls to sack NHS bosses over Glasgow hospital infection scandal

Demands for the Glasgow health board to be sacked for its handling of the infection scandal at its flagship hospital have been rejected by the Scottish Government.

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar said the scandal of water-borne infections linked to deaths at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QEUH) was a "human tragedy on an unimaginable scale".

Leading a debate at Holyrood calling for the senior management of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde to be replaced, he urged MSPs to stand by NHS staff and bereaved families affected.

But despite support from the Scottish Conservatives and Liberal Democrats, the government coalition of SNP and Scottish Green MSPs dismissed the calls, citing a public inquiry under way into the hospital.

"I have no confidence in the leadership of your health board" - Anas Sarwar

Opening the debate, Mr Sarwar paid tribute to the frontline QEUH staff, saying: "I have every confidence in you and know that you're working day and night to do your best for your patients.

"I have no confidence in the leadership of your health board.

"You deserve a leadership that doesn't try to silence you, that doesn't try to bully you and - perhaps most of all, as we have seen this week - you deserve a management that doesn't disgracefully attempt to spread the blame to staff.

"I know they're letting you down, and this fight is as much for you as it is for the patients and families."

Addressing SNP and Green MSPs, he added: "For the sake of the dedicated NHS staff, the patients at the hospital, the grieving parents, and in memory of those who have lost their lives, I implore you: please, let's send a message and tell the leadership of the health board that this parliament has no confidence in them and escalate the board to the highest emergency level without delay."

In response, the government's public health minister Maree Todd said: "Various claims have been levelled against the health board and throughout we have worked to ensure that these are investigated and, where necessary, acted upon."

She suggested 98% of recommendations from a recent review of the health board had been completed and added: "Our NHS staff are working incredibly hard, and we will continue to do all we can to support them to provide the best care possible for the people of Scotland."

Health board has "utterly failed"

Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross praised Mr Sarwar "for being a persistent champion for the cause of the families who deserve these answers".

Calling for another inquiry into the Scottish Government's response to "avoidable deaths" at the hospital, Mr Ross argued "it's not good enough to hide behind a public inquiry as an excuse for inaction".

He added: "The health board has utterly failed in its duties, and it's right that they are removed as part of the systemic changing of culture across NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde towards honesty and transparency.

"The SNP government ministers must also restore confidence that they are doing everything they can to treat the scandal of avoidable deaths with the urgency it deserves."

The Scottish Labour motion was successfully amended by the Scottish Government by 64 votes to 55 to remove mention of parliament having no confidence in the health board.

NHSGGC remain "fully committed to the Public Inquiry"

A spokesperson from NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde said: "We would like to share our deepest sympathies with the families and loved ones of any patient who has sadly passed away while in our care and reassure patients and members of the public that our staff do their utmost to provide treatment to give the best quality of life possible to our patients.

"Our entire focus remains on delivering high quality patient centred care and meeting the needs of our patients and their families.

"We have taken all reviews into the QEUH and RHC seriously and we have taken decisive action to implement the vast majority of actions that were set, meaning that significant improvements have already been made.

The hospital is one of the largest campuses in Europe, providing some of the most advanced services and treating some of the most vulnerable patients in Scotland.

"The highly skilled staff provide many regional services for the west of Scotland and in the RHC alone more than 15 major national services.

"Recent figures published by Public Health Scotland show that Hospital Standardised Mortality Rates at the QEUH campus are lower than the Scottish average, and a review of available data shows that, for Healthcare Associated Infections (HAIs), the QEUH performs better than many other hospital sites across Scotland.

"These results are even more noteworthy when you consider the range of services provided and complexity of patients treated at the QEUH and RHC.

"As we have consistently said, we are fully committed to complying fully with any recommendations, which may be put forward by the Public Inquiry as we have done with the recent independent inquiry, Oversight Board and Case Note Review findings, the majority of which have now been implemented. We remain fully committed to listening to issues and making any necessary improvements.

"Regarding the claims being made about our culture, we encourage all staff to speak up and to raise any concerns, and staff who do so will be supported through our normal channels, including our whistleblowing policy.

"We have asked Mr Sarwar to meet with us to discuss the claims that have been made and we are also keen to meet with families of patients who have died including Mrs Slorrance and Ms Darroch.

"We are remain fully committed to the Public Inquiry, our staff, our patients and their families."

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