Sturgeon clashes with Sarwar on infections

NICOLA Sturgeon said the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, in Glasgow, is safe and has a lower rate of infection than other hospitals. The First Minister was challenged by Anas Sarwar, Scottish Labour leader, at Holyrood, who raised another case of a child’s death he said was linked to an infection contracted in the hospital.

Sarwar said he did not think the Greater Glasgow and Clyde health board was telling the

First Minister the truth about hospital acquired infections and asked again for the leadership of the board to be removed. He said: “I think the health board is not telling you the truth. While the First Minister hides behind process and an inquiry that can take years patients are still getting infections and lives being lost.”

He added: “What is it going to take before action is taken?”

Sturgeon said sacking the health board would not be a responsible action. She said she understood the determination of Kimberly Darroch – whose 10-year-old daughter Milly Main died after contracting an infection, and Louise Slorance, whose husband Andrew also died after getting an infection – to get answers and said she would do the same if she were in their position.

Sturgeon said: “The suggestion the Queen Elizabeth is unsafe and has a higher infection rate, the evidence does not bear that out. “The Queen Elizabeth actually performs better. Scotland has a lower prevalence of hospital acquired infection than the European average.

“The hard fact is, despite best efforts, no hospital anywhere in the world can eradicate infection in some patients with compromised immune systems.” She accused Sarwar of “trying to erode confidence in the care provided by clinicians at the Queen Elizabeth hospital”. Sarwar criticised Sturgeon for her absence during a debate on the hospital on Wednesday. He said: “The First Minister didn’t turn up to the debate and didn’t bother voting yesterday. No-one has been held accountable.”

He added: “This fight is as much about the staff as it is the patients. The problem here is not those asking the difficult questions but those taking the decisions.

“Families can’t wait. You made the wrong choice yesterday. I share a new case today.”

Sarwar said for the sake of staff, families, patients and all those who have raised concerns: “Please listen, act and do the right thing.”

The First Minister said removing the board would not mean change.

She said: “The sack the board cry. This is very serious. If I thought for a minute simply removing the health board would change anything on the ground, I would do that without hesitation.

“But removing a health board in the middle of the pandemic and vaccination programme would not be responsible.”

In a statement, NHSGGC said: “Any suggestion that NHSGGC withholds information or is ‘hiding the truth’ from Government, or from patients or families, is categorically untrue.

“By making these unacceptable claims, the integrity and professionalism of our frontline staff is once again being called into question.”