Top doctors at Glasgow's Queen Elizabeth Univeristy Hospital hit back at 'unfounded criticism'

Senior clinicians are writing a letter to the First Minister

Author: Rob WallerPublished 1st Dec 2021

Doctors at Glasgow's Queen Elizabeth Univeristy Hospital are hitting back at MSPs with 23 senior clinicians saying they're immensely frustated at the safety fears, and that "unfounded criticism" is damaging morale.

A letter to First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon and the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, Humza Yousaf says: "As NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde clinicians and clinical leaders, we write to express our immense disappointment and frustration about the way in which our hospitals, our colleagues and the treatment of our patients is being portrayed in the press and the chamber of the Scottish Parliament."

READ MORE: Labour links child deaths to new infection fears

READ MORE: Secrecy claims at Glasgow's biggest hospital

Criticism causing "untold distress"

They add: "We are particularly disappointed that individual patients are being discussed in Parliament without the knowledge of the families concerned, causing untold distress to families already grieving the loss of their loved one.

"Our staff across NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, including the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital campus, provide professional, dedicated care to their patients and as we prepare for a challenging winter, this sustained criticism of our staff is undoubtedly causing them distress and worry.

"This unfounded criticism of our clinical teams and staff as well as the safety of our hospitals, is also hugely detrimental to staff morale at a time when so much is being asked of them."

Sack the board

The letter comes ahead of Labour leader Anas Sarwar calling for Ms Sturgeon to "finally do the right thing and sack the leadership at Glasgow'sQueen Elizabeth University Hospital".

Labour claim photographs of mould, recently discovered at QEUH, and published in an academic paper expose the risks of water in seeding infection inside hospitals.

Labour's opposition business motion focuses on patient safety, and calls on the Scottish Parliament to withdraw its confidence in the leadership of Greater Glasgow & Clyde Heath board.

The vote comes after families and clinicians came forward to speak out about a series of deaths at the flagship hospital spanning the last five years.

Mr Sarwar said that repeated pleas from the loved ones of those who have died from preventable hospital-acquired infection have been ignored.

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