QEUH Scandal: Bereaved families angry at lack of action as SNP refuse to sack health board

They spoke before MSPs failed to back a motion of no confidence in the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde board tabled by Labour leader Anas Sarwar, who called on Holyrood to send a message that politicians “support the parents and patients who have lost loved ones”.

Mr Sarwar also failed in his plea for SNP minister to escalate the NHS board from its stage 4 to stage 5, which would allow Nicola Sturgeon’s Government to take direct control.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde has said it has “always been open” about problems at the flagship hospital.

The First Minister has apologised to the Scottish Parliament for incorrectly stating under questioning from the Labour leader last week that her Government had escalated the health board to the highest level possible.

In a letter to the presiding officer, Ms Sturgeon said she was “not as clear” as she had hoped to be and has admitted the management at NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde could be elevated to stage 5, which could lead to board members being replaced.

Speaking at a press conference alongside Mr Sarwar, Ms Slorance said it will be a year on Sunday since her husband died at the QEUH and she told reporters she believes doctors and nurses were “restrained” from telling them about the aspergillus infection.

Speaking before the debate, she added: “I think the ScottishGovernment now need to show whose side they’re on, whether it’s ours or the health board management team.”

Ms Darroch revealed she was “really angry” to hear about further infections at the QEUH, and said: “We have worked tirelessly to stop this from happening again and that was my main focus after Milly died.

“The main reason that I came into public life was so that no family had to go through what I went through.

“That hasn’t happened, it’s continued to happen and it will continue to happen until something is done about the leadership of the health board.”

Ahead of the debate, a letter from 23 senior clinicians at the hospital complained to the First Minister about “unfounded criticism” of clinical teams and staff.

In a letter to the her and Health Secretary Humza Yousaf, they wrote: “As NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde clinicians and clinical leaders, we write to express our immense disappointment and frustration about the way in which our hospitals, our colleagues and the treatment of our patients is being portrayed in the press and the chamber of the Scottish Parliament.

“As we prepare for a challenging winter, this sustained criticism of our staff is undoubtedly causing them distress and worry.

“This unfounded criticism of our clinical teams and staff, as well as the safety of our hospitals, is also hugely detrimental to staff morale at a time when so much is being asked of them.”

The letter was jumped on by SNP MSPs with Children’s Minister Maree Todd stressing that “various claims have been levelled against the health board”, insisting that “we have worked to ensure that these are investigated and where, necessary acted upon”.

She added: “ Members may be aware of a letter from clinicians at the board who have stressed this point.”

Mr Sarwar told MSPs that “what has been uncovered” in the two years since he first raised the scandal at Holyrood “is a human tragedy on an unimaginable scale”.

He added: “It is beyond doubt the biggest scandal in the lifetime of this Parliament. Where we have reached today is only possible because of the bravery of senior clinicians who are willing to whistle blow.”

The Labour leader also pointed the finger at the management of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, claiming a response of “cover-up, spin, denial, bullying, silencing and calling into question the integrity of senior clinicians and families”.

Mr Sarwar insisted that he has “every confidence” in the frontline staff at QEUH, but added: “I have no confidence in the leadership of your health board”.

He added: “You deserve a leadership that doesn't try to silence you, that doesn't try to bill you. Perhaps most of all, as we have seen this week, you deserve a management that doesn't disgracefully attempt to spread the blame to staff. 

“I know they're letting you down. And this fight is as much for you as it is for the patients and families."

Conservative leader Douglas Ross also highlighted the frontline hospital staff, making it clear “our criticisms are not with them”.

He said that his Conservatives “will stand with Labour and their motion”, adding that “the health board  has utterly failed in its duties and it's right that they are removed as part of the systemic changing of culture across NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde towards openness and transparency”.

Mr Ross added: “The SNP Government ministers must also restore confidence that they are doing everything they can to treat the scandal of avoidable deaths with the urgency it deserves. 

“And that means escalating the board to stage five of the performance escalation framework.”

LibDems leader Alex Cole-Hamilton said it was “dismaying” that the First Minister was not taking part in the discussion on “the hospital which she commissioned, a hospital which serves patients in her own constituency and one which problems have gone unaddressed on her watch”.

He added: “I find that contemptible.”

Mr Yousaf took issue with opponents suggested the Scottish Government was not backing patients and frontline staff by not taking any additional urgent action while an independent investigation continues.

He said: “I suspect we are all on the same side. 

“Each and every single one of us wants the best, most safe patient experience for members of the public. We are all on the same side.”

The Health Secretary again pointed to the letter of concern by senior clinicians, urging MSPs to “please not dismiss them”. 

He confirmed there have been three red notices flagged to him about the QEUH

Mr Yousaf added: “We have taken action. 

“There have been seven different reviews, those recommendations haven't sat on the shelf – 98% of those recommendations have been implemented, and 88% of the oversight board recommendations also.

“Of course improvements where they can be made must be made. Huge improvements have been made.”

Closing the debate, Labour health spokesperson, Jackie Baillie, was visibly upset as she accused the health board of using frontline staff as a “human shield”.

Ms Baillie, who fought back tears as she spoke, told MSPs “we owe those families answers and we owe them action”.

She called on MSPs to "tell the health board leadership at Greater Glasgow and Clyde that this Parliament has no confidence in them, and that enough is enough".

Ms Baillie added: "Tell them we will not tolerate their bullying, their cover-ups, their disgusting attempts to blame courageous NHS staff and yes, their lies.

"How dare the health board and the Scottish Government use these hard-working staff as a human shield for their failures."

A spokesperson for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde said: "We would like to share our deepest sympathies with the families and loved ones of any patient who has sadly passed away while in our care and reassure patients and members of the public that our staff do their utmost to provide treatment to give the best quality of life possible to our patients. 

"Our entire focus remains on delivering high quality patient centred care and meeting the needs of our patients and their families.

"We have taken all reviews into the QEUH and RHC seriously and we have taken decisive action to implement the vast majority of actions that were set, meaning that significant improvements have already been made.

"The hospital is one of the largest campuses in Europe, providing some of the most advanced services and treating some of the most vulnerable patients in Scotland. The highly skilled staff provide many regional services for the west of Scotland and in the RHC alone more than 15 major national services.

"Recent figures published by Public Health Scotland show that Hospital Standardised Mortality Rates at the QEUH campus are lower than the Scottish average, and a review of available data shows that, for Healthcare Associated Infections (HAIs), the QEUH performs better than many other hospital sites across Scotland. These results are even more noteworthy when you consider the range of services provided and complexity of patients treated at the QEUH and RHC.

"As we have consistently said, we are fully committed to complying fully with any recommendations, which may be put forward by the public inquiry as we have done with the recent independent inquiry, oversight board and case note review findings, the majority of which have now been implemented. We remain fully committed to listening to issues and making any necessary improvements.

"Regarding the claims being made about our culture, we encourage all staff to speak up and to raise any concerns, and staff who do so will be supported through our normal channels, including our whistleblowing policy. We have asked Mr Sarwar to meet with us to discuss the claims that have been made and we are also keen to meet with families of patients who have died including Mrs Slorrance and Ms Darroch. 

"We are remain fully committed to the public inquiry, our staff, our patients and their families."