Cancer son ‘safer at home than hospital’
A mother was told by a doctor that her son, who was being treated for cancer, would be safer at home than in a hospital where issues were linked to children's deaths, an inquiry has heard.
Denise Gallagher's son was diagnosed with leukaemia whenhewaseightyearsoldand hewastreatedattheroyalhospital for Children and Young People(rhcyp)andthequeen Elizabeth University Hospital (QEUH) in Glasgow between May 2018 and March 2020.
The Scottish Hospitals Inquiryheardthatatthestartof his treatment his parents were told he needed to be put on preventative antibiotics.
His treatment with the medicines, which included posaconazole, was discussed at a discharge meeting with a doctor in ward 2A in the children's cancer unit at the RHC on the QEUH campus.
Mrs Gallagher told the inquiry: "At the start we were toldheneededtohaveantibiotic cover for infection, that was the generalgistofit,maybehospital acquired or just in general skin infections, anything like that.
"The discussion about the posaconazole was when he was getting discharged after his first cycle of chemotherapy, (the female doctor) was going through his kardex (medical file).
"She said one medicine he wouldn'tgetbecauseit'sivonly buthewouldnotneedtheposaconazolebecauseheisnothere, he is safer at home."
She added: "She said he is not here and he is going home, he is safer."
The inquiry is investigating the construction of the QEUH campus after issues at the flagship site were linked to the deaths of two children.
It is also examining the construction of the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People and Department of Clinical Neurosciences in Edinburgh.
Theinquirywasorderedafter patientsattheglasgowhospital died from infections linked to pigeondroppingsandthewater supply, and the opening of the Edinburghsitewasdelayeddue toconcernsovertheventilation system.
Mrs Gallagher's son was due to have a bone marrow transplant in September 2018 after a suitable donor was found, however,itwasdelayedafterhe developed an infection which mayhavebeenlinkedtothehospital environment.
The boy complained of a sore stomach during his second cycle of chemotherapy and it was feared he might have appendicitis.
He underwent surgery to removehisappendix,however, the appendix did not appear to
beinfectedandhisparentswere told he, in fact, had an infection referred to as "steno".
Mrs Gallagher, a nurse, said she was told about the possible source of the infection in early September 2018 at a meeting with Teresa Inkster from infection control and other staff.
She said: "I had asked about the steno infection and Teresa Inkster immediately apologised and said she apologises for my son having the infection and it was likely from the hospital."
Mrs Gallagher's son finally had his transplant in November 2018.
The inquiry in Edinburgh, chaired by Lord Brodie is continuing.