Whistleblower slams ‘failure’ of QEUH probe
A WHISTLEBLOWER who raised infection fears at Scotland’s flagship hospital has criticised the health watchdog for a delay in probing new patient safety concerns.
Infection expert Dr Christine Peters spoke out after the watchdog last week announced a review of safety and care at Queen Elizabeth University Hospital’s (QEUH) emergency department.
The review, announced by Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS) last week, follows concerns raised by consultants at the hospital last May.
They warned patient safety was being “seriously compromised” by y treatment delays, inadequate equate staffing and patients left ft unassessed in unsuitable le waiting areas.
HIS reportedly never asked to see 18 months’ worth of evidence and closed the probe in August. It apologised last month for “shortcomings” in that investigation.
Consultant clinical microbiologist Peters toldold the Sunday Mail: “The failure of HIS to take determined and effective action in response to serious concerns raised – by no less than 29 A&E consultants over 11 months – is deeply troubling, in that it seems to have taken a public outcry to trigger a rethink.
“A system that relies on adverse publicity to galvanise an effective intervention when documented preventable patient harm is highlighted by credible staff, is utterly unfit for purpose. Patient safety requires a timely reactive and active system. We do not seem to have that in place.”
On whistleblowing, she added: “This is a dangerous and fearsome thing to do. We know from a vast amount of documented cases that speaking up
We know that speaking up carries a heavy toll
carcarries a heavy and incincalculable toll.”
SShe said many staff werwere now “watching hopefully”hope for signs that HIS wouldwo not put “reputatreputation above candour”. HIS said: “We are keen to receive all the inforinformation the consultants believe to be relevant to their ongoing concerns about patient safety at the emergency department at QEUH. We are fully committed to considering all the evidence they provide.”
Police are probing the deaths of four patients at QEUH campus, including that of Milly Main, 10. NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde has been named as a formal suspect.
A separate public inquiry, led by
Lord Brodie, is ongoing into QEUH’s building and design, as well as how contamination affected patient safety. Two fatal accident inquiries have also been announced into the deaths of Archie Donald, three, and 11-day-old Sophia Smith at the QEUH campus. A preliminary hearing is set for May 7.