Head of hospital scandals inquiry to be appointed by New Year

An inquiry into two scandal-hit hospitals will appoint its head by Christmas, Scotland's Health Secretary has announced.

Speaking before the Health and Sport Committee at Holyrood on Tuesday, Jeane Freeman confirmed the timetable but declined to say when the inquiry would report.

She called for the inquiry in September after it emerged there had been issues with ventilation and other building standards at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QEUH) in Glasgow and the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People (RHCYP) in Edinburgh.

The RHCYP was due to open in July but patient transfer was cancelled after the discovery of ventilation issues. It is now expected to open next autumn.

Concerns over contaminated water at the QEUH forced the closure of two wards at the children's hospital on its campus in September last year.

The parent of a child who died in the hospital in 2017 has said she is "100%" certain it was due to contaminated water.

Kimberly Darroch, who lost her 10-year-old girl Milly Main, said she was not told the reason for her daughter's death.

The death of a three-year-old boy, named as Mason Djemat, in the same month as Milly was investigated by police.

The Health Secretary said on Monday she was open to Scottish Government intervention in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, as has already been done in other areas of the country.

Currently, NHS boards in Tayside and Highland have been escalated to level four, the second highest level of Government intervention.

NHS Lothian, NHS Ayrshire and Arran and NHS Borders are all considered to be level three by the Scottish Government.

Ms Freeman told the committee: "In terms of the inquiry, we are in the process of finalising who will lead that, with the support of the Lord Advocate and the Lord President.

"I hope to be able to announce who will lead the inquiry before we get to the Christmas recess."

The Cabinet Secretary also said the announcement of the remit and the start date of the probe will closely follow the announcement of the chairperson, who will also have a hand in setting the terms of the inquiry.

Ms Freeman said: "As members are aware, the chair of the inquiry has a significant role in finalising the role of that inquiry so we will undertake that finalising work with him or her, then we will be able to announce the final remit and its start up date shortly after we are able to tell yourselves and parliament who will lead the inquiry."

The Health Secretary was unable to say when the inquiry would publish its findings.

In response to a question from Conservative MSP Brian Whittle, Ms Freeman said: It's not possible for me to give an expected time frame for the inquiry at this stage.

"In part, because it is a public inquiry, it's independent of me, so it's not something that I can control.

"In that sense, it's not possible for me to say how long it will take."

Ms Freeman said there was a "balance to be struck" between ensuring inquiries do not last too long but are given adequate time for investigation to take place.

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