Pressure on minister grows over infection crisis at superhospital
PRESSURE is growing on Health Secretary Jeane Freeman over a second fungal infection at Glasgow’s Queen Elizabeth University Hospital which has left a woman fighting for her life.
Earlier this week it emerged that another fungal infection was found at the facility, but last night health chiefs admitted they still don’t know where it had came from.
We can now reveal that medics were told of the “red alert” infection, which is thought to be of high risk to the public, almost 12 days ago.
Health Protection Scotland’s own guidelines state that the public should be notified within 24 hours, but it took seven days for any mention of the second serious infection to emerge, and critics are now accusing the Health Secretary and health board officials of keeping the public in the dark.
It follows the death of a 10-year-old boy after he contracted an infection from pigeon droppings which had entered the hospital through a crack in the wall.
Experts told The Herald on Sunday the hospital building is “fundamentally flawed”, and one top architect claims the review ordered by the government could take “many months”.
HEALTH chiefs failed to act upon guidelines and kept the public in the dark over potentially deadly infections at Glasgow’s super hospital.
Pressure is growing on Health Secretary Jeane Freeman and NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde to explain why details of a further outbreak at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital were only revealed during a parliamentary quizzing session this week – seven days after medics determined it was of serious risk to the public.
The latest fungal infection, called Mucorales, has left a woman fighting for her life in the critical care unit but last night NHSGGC admitted it still does not know where it has come from.
Medics were told on January 15 that the infection was life-threatening, could have significant impact on hospital services or could have a significant impact on public health.
The fungus, which is rarely seen as an infection in humans, comes from pin mould. Other cases have been found in China and America when contaminated laundry was used in a hospital.
Experts say that now three rare infections – two fungal and one bacteria – have been contracted at the hospital within the past 12 months, it is a “sign something is fundamentally flawed” with the facility.
It comes after a 10-year-old boy died after contracting another fungus – Cryptococcus – from pigeon droppings which got into the hospital through a crack in a wall.
The Crown Office said it has received a report into the death and the Scottish Fatalities Investigation Unit is now probing the tragedy.
Prosecutors have also asked for more details about a woman who died in January, who was also found to have contracted Cryptococcus.
One infectious diseases specialist, who spoke out of concern for public safety, said: “These infections are not normal. There’s a real disregard for patients and their health here.
“To say you would only get these types
These infections are not normal. There’s a real disregard for patients and their health here. To say you would only get these types of infections in immunocompromised people is not entirely fair
of infections in immunocompromised people is not entirely fair. A hospital is full of immunocompromised people and these infections are still not common.
“The Cryptococcus, from pigeons, has only ever happened as far as I’m aware in one other medical setting in the world, and that was in Arizona in 2004. It is the first time it has happened in the UK. I can’t stress how unusual this is.
“Mucorales is even more serious, and there has been practically nothing mentioned about it.
“We have had three serious incidents in the last year of people getting really rare diseases and it’s time that action was taken to find out why. Something is seriously wrong with that building.”
Health Protection Scotland’s Hospital Infection Incident Assessment Tool (HIIAT) guidelines state that the public should be notified, and a statement issued within 24 hours of any code red infection, along with immediate notifications to the Scottish Government’s health team.
However, nothing was mentioned by NHSGGC, and scant detail of the second infection only emerged in Parliament a week later, with the Health Secretary stating she had only been told that day. Freeman also failed to mention the seriousness of the infection or that one person was in critical care, only discussing the issue after five different MSPs had asked questions on the topic.
She stated: “I have been advised today that there has been a fungal infection that is not connected to the one that we are discussing. Further information has been given to me and more information is to come.
“It affects two patients, both of whom are being treated. The source of that infection is being pursued and additional safety measures have been put in place, including air sampling and enhanced cleaning.”
Monica Lennon, Labour’s shadow cabinet secretary for health and sport, said the second infection had been “swept under the carpet” and said: “The situation at the QEUH remains very serious while the source of this infection is unknown. The safety of patients, visitors and staff working at the hospital is of paramount importance and the Scottish Government must ensure NHSGGC has all the specialist support it needs.
“NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and SNP Health Secretary Jeane Freeman have major questions to answer as to why the public was kept in the dark over these serious infections.
“Health service guidelines clearly state the public should have been informed within 24 hours of Mucorales being found, but news only emerged about the infection more than a week later amid news of the death of 10-year old boy at the hospital following a separate fungal infection.
“It appears this second infection has been swept under the carpet and the seriousness of it played down to the public and to Parliament.
“With public confidence in our health service shaken over the last week, the
news that information around infections at the hospital was kept from them will only dent confidence further.
“It is time for Jeane Freeman to explain what she knew and when and why she kept the public in the dark.”
Miles Briggs, Scottish Conservative shadow health secretary, described the incident as an example of “SNP’s secret Scotland” and called on the Health Secretary to explain why this was kept in the dark.
He said: “The SNP and NHS Scotland have grievously ignored their own guidelines on what to tell the public, and when.
“There is a second potentially deadly infection at Queen Elizabeth University Hospital.
“No-one has been told.
“If it wasn’t for the tragic events unfolding there, it could have been weeks before the Mucorales infection was disclosed.
“It raises serious questions about transparency and what is being kept from the people in the SNP’s secret Scotland.”
Health Protection Scotland said: “Health Protection Scotland is providing clinical support and advice to NHSGGC as they investigate two cases of Cryptococcus and two cases of a separate fungal pathogen, not connected to the Cryptococcus, at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital.”
An NHSGGC spokeswoman said with regards the lack of public information: “The National Manual stipulates that for amber and red incidents a holding press statement should be prepared and that the decision to go proactive is at the discretion of the chair of the IMT. In deciding this a number of factors, including patient confidentially, are considered.
“The board’s systems and processes for surveillance and reporting of incidents and outbreaks was reviewed in January 2018 by Health Protection Scotland and deemed compliant.”
Health Protection Scotland guidelines state for “red” incidents, a public statement should be issued within 24 hours.
NHSGGC said the Mucorales infection was “not connected to the domestic water supply. Investigations are ongoing”.
The health board further added that it was decided to release a public statement about the pigeon droppings infection on January 16, and said: “On January 16, air sampling results, taken in the previous week, confirmed traces of Cryptococcus, the IMT reconvened, and, in line with the protocol for managing such of such incidents, agreed that NHSGGC would i ssue a public statement.
“To ensure due diligence, GGC are actively reviewing data on fungal infections with Health Protection Scotland and this work is at an early stage.”
By the time The Herald on Sunday went to press, the Scottish Government had failed to respond to our request for comment.