Mother of child who died at scandal-hit hospital speaks out

It also follows claims of a “cover-up” in relation to the death of a 10-year-old girl in the same month. Kimberly Darroch said her daughter Milly Main caught an infection from contaminated water while she was in remission from cancer.

Yesterday, a Crown Office spokesman said: “The Procurator Fiscal has received a report in connection with the death of a three-year-old boy at the QEUH on August 9, 2017.

"The investigation into the death, under the direction of Scottish Fatalities Investigation Unit [SFIU] is ongoing and the family will continue to be kept updated in relation to any significant developments.”

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGCC) yesterday said they appointed two independent experts to investigate the case and said they are "absolutely committed" to ensuring patients and families "get answers to the questions they have".

Last night, the child’s mother said she “disputes the accuracy” of the NHS’s investigations and has documents that prove “bacteria was present in the showerhead” in her sons’s hospital bathroom.

The latest revelation heaps further pressure on NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and Health Secretary Jeane Freeman.

The Scottish Mail on Sunday reported the three-year-old boy was being treated for a rare genetic condition, and was on a ward where concerns about the water supply had been flagged up. His cause of death is not known.

A spokeswoman for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde said: “We have already provided information to this family but are sorry that they have further questions.

“We fully investigated this child’s death at the time and also asked for two independent experts to investigate the case, the outcome of which has been communicated to the family.

“We are absolutely committed to providing patients and families with information and ensuring they get answers to the questions they have. In this case the full findings were shared with the family.”

But last night, Scottish Labour’s health spokesperson Monica Lennon MSP said the child’s mother is in contact with her, adding: “She believes the statement issued by NHSGGC in response to media reports about her son is highly inaccurate.

 “She disputes the accuracy of their investigations and reports and is in receipt of documentation that confirms bacteria was present in the showerhead within her son’s hospital bathroom.

"When she last met with NHSGGC she walked out of the meeting and advised them she would be taking legal action and commissioning her own reports due to the board’s unsatisfactory answers.

"NHSGGC has admitted to her that faults and mistakes did happen on the night her son died but she believes they have not been entirely truthful.

“She will release further information about the circumstances of his death when she feels ready.”

Ms Lennon said it raises “fresh questions on patient safety” for NHSGGC and the Scottish Government.

She added: “There are serious questions mounting up for NHSGGC in relation to infections and patient safety at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital and Royal Hospital for Children.

"The mother of ten-year old Milly Main, who also died in 2017, has gone public about her concerns and in response Scottish Labour has requested the Cabinet Secretary address Parliament immediately, as the facts must be established.

“Media statements being released by NHSGGC in reaction to the concerns being raised by whistleblowers and parents, are causing unnecessary upset to families, patients and staff.

“Public confidence in the health board is diminishing by the day and this cannot continue.

"The legitimate concerns of patients and bereaved families must be listened to and acted on and Scottish Labour stands shoulder to shoulder with those who seek justice and the truth.”

Last week, Labour MSP Anas Sarwar revealed a whistleblower had told him a doctor-led investigation found the death of a young cancer patient at the QEUH in 2017 was linked to an infected water supply.

Mr Sarwar raised the issue at First Minister’s Questions in Holyrood, where he insisted Nicola Sturgeon and Ms Freeman were not being told the truth about what had happened.

Ms Freeman later confirmed she learned of the case after the bereaved family wrote to her in September, but did not make this public due to patient confidentiality. Ms Darroch later identified her daughter as the child and told the Daily Record newspaper she felt let down and lied to.

She said: “I want them to admit what they have done is wrong. And I want them to admit that they’ve covered it up. I was getting to a point in life where I was able to face each day. It’s taken me back to when Milly died. It’s just opened it all up again.”

The 35-year-old from Lanark said Milly was recovering from leukaemia when she contracted an infection in her Hickman line, a catheter used to administer chemotherapy.

She said the family were given little information after Milly’s death, but suspicions grew when the bacteria Stenotrophomonas was cited on the death certificate.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde has said there is no way to know if Milly’s infection was linked to the water supply “as we did not consider this to be the source at the time and we did not test for the particular infection in the water supply”.

It added: “The water in the hospital is safe and has been independently assessed as such.”

Mr Sarwar insisted the health board must be put into “special measures”, accusing it of “threatening and intimidating” the whistleblower who claimed that Milly’s death was linked to contaminated water.

An investigation into water contamination at the hospital found 23 cases of child cancer patients with infections linked to the water supply in 2018.

However, an NHS whistleblower told Mr Sarwar an internal investigation had uncovered an additional 26 cases since 2017.

Over the weekend, Ms Freeman said she aimed to give an update to Parliament this week on the QEUH and infections.