Child cancer victim ‘killed by hospital’s toxic water... then they covered it up’
SNP knew of whistleblower’s claim 2 MONTHS ago
A CHILD with cancer died after catching an infection linked to the contaminated water supply in a flagship hospital, a whistleblower has claimed.
The insider said an investigation uncovered the infection but the child’s parents were not told about the findings of the probe.
Glasgow Labour MSP Anas Sarwar yesterday revealed the latest scandal to hit the city’s troubled Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QEUH) after being contacted by the unnamed whistleblower.
Health Secretary Jeane Freeman later admitted she has known about the incident for two months but did not go public on it, sparking accusations of a ‘cover-up’.
The water supply at the hospital and the adjoining Royal Hospital for Children was found to have ‘widespread contamination’ in recent tests.
But bosses have said there is no evidence the child’s infection was caused by contaminated water because tests were not carried out at the time of the death in 2017.
Mr Sarwar spoke out about the incident at First Minister’s Questions in the Scottish parliament yesterday and called for a ‘full public apology’.
He said: ‘Central to this whistleblowing evidence is that one child died and, to this day, the parents have never been told the true cause of their child’s death.
‘That isn’t just a scandal, it’s a heartbreaking human tragedy.
‘If I was that parent I would want to know. This can’t continue. These parents must be told what happened – there must be a full public apology.
‘This devastating death has been covered up since September. Jeane Freeman says she acted, but the most important act would be to inform the parents.’
The £842million QEUH opened in 2015 but has since been hit by a series of infections related to its built environment.
Earlier this year, it emerged three patients had died after catching other infections at the hospital, including a ten-year-old boy who had contracted an infection linked to pigeon droppings.
Separately, 23 children contracted bloodstream infections in cancer wards between January and September 2018.
A Health Protection Scotland (HPS) inquiry found ‘widespread contamination’ of bacteria in taps and drains.
According to the whistleblower who approached Mr Sarwar, a further investigation by doctors found up to 26 cases of water supply infections in children in the cancer wards in 2017.
It is claimed that one of the children with cancer died and an investigation found the presence of a type of bacteria, stenotrophomonas, in the patient.
In the HPS report which focused on 2018, stenotrophomonas was linked to 12 of the 23 infection cases. NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) insisted that stenotrophomonas is ‘widespread and present throughout the general environment’.
A spokesman insisted no tests were carried out at the time and said it was not possible to conclude the infections were connected to the water supply.
But Mr Sarwar has called on Nicola Sturgeon and the Health Secretary to personally intervene.
Miss Freeman has recently announced a public inquiry into the construction of the QEUH and Edinburgh’s new children’s hospital, and a review of the QEUH.
Miss Sturgeon said: ‘Patient safety is paramount. We are determined to address the concerns of patients and families and the Health Secretary is committed to returning to parliament to set out the full details of the public inquiry as soon as possible.’
Last night, Miss Freeman said she was told in September of the death, adding: ‘Not revealing it is not the same as not acting on it – and I acted on it.’
A spokesman for NHSGGC said: ‘Our overriding priority at all times is the safety of our patients. It is important to make clear that the water supply to the Royal Hospital for Children and Queen Elizabeth University Hospital is safe to use. When a patient dies in our care, our clinical teams discuss with family members the cause of death and the factors that have contributed to this, where they are known.
‘Patients who are very sick are prone to infections and we closely monitor all infections.
‘In 2017, we investigated two individual cases of stenotrophomonas. At the time of the initial investigation into these cases, national guidance did not include a requirement for health boards to test for stenotrophomonas in the water supply.
‘Stenotrophomonas is widespread and is present throughout the general environment. As no tests were carried out at the time, it is not possible to conclude that these infections were connected to the water supply.’
Comment – Page 18
‘The parents must be told what happened’
‘Must be a full public apology’