Mum says daughter would be alive if hospital had acted on contamination warning

The mother of a girl who died from an infection at a Glasgow hospital believes her daughter would still be alive if action had been taken when contamination risks were discovered shortly before it opened.

A report leaked by a whistleblower revealed on Thursday that the health board was told areas of the flagship £800 million Queen Elizabeth University Hospital campus were at a "high risk'' of infection before opening in 2015.

Another two reports, also leaked to Labour MSP Anas Sarwar, suggest issues were still pervasive at the hospital in 2017 and 2018.

The death of 10-year-old Milly Main in August 2017 after she had beaten cancer has been linked to an infection caused by contaminated water.

Her mother, Kimberly Darroch, 35, from Lanark, has said she is "100%'' certain that contaminated water caused the infection, Stenotrophomonas, listed as a possible cause on her daughter's death certificate.

Speaking to Clyde News Ms Darroch said she was "shocked'' by the latest leaked report.

She said: "All the information should have been collated. We're relying on whistleblowers to find out the truth. It's absolutely shocking that they had these problems and nothing's been done. I can't believe the hospital opened in the first place.

"I feel if those issues had been rectified at the time, then Milly would still be with us today. I have no doubt in my mind about that.

"It is very difficult and knowing that I'm going to have to live with that for the rest of my life - my life's going to be torture from here on in, knowing that.

They're saying they've apologized to me and Milly's family but they haven't - I haven't had any contact with the head of the health board, and that to me speaks volumes.

She also says she can't wait for a public inquiry to be held, adding: "I see no reason to wait until the spring. All the information's there, I want answers now, I need answers now.

A spokeswoman for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde said: "We are very sorry for the ongoing distress that has been caused to Ms Darroch and we want to provide parents with as much support as possible.

"We are in contact with Ms Darroch and would like to meet her to answer her questions if she would be happy to do that.''

The health board maintains it was not possible to conclude that infections identified in 2017 were connected to the water supply because it was not required to test for bloodstream infection Stenotrophomonas at that time.

The first of the leaked independent reports carried out by contractor DMA Canyon in 2015 found five of the eight plant rooms that supplied water to the rest of the hospital were deemed to be "high risk'' and identified dirty water tanks.

A report on a follow-up inspection in 2017 found "no significant water system alterations'' with the tank issue unresolved.

The health board said all issues raised in the inspection reports were acted upon, routine water sampling was carried out since the hospital opening and there is a "safe and effective'' water supply.

A public inquiry into issues at the hospital has been called by Health Secretary Jeane Freeman.

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