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| NHS board special measures call over child's hospital death | NHS board special measures call over child's hospital death |
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| Scotland's biggest health board should be put in "special measures" over its handling of hospital infection issues, according to an MSP. | Scotland's biggest health board should be put in "special measures" over its handling of hospital infection issues, according to an MSP. |
| Anas Sarwar made the call after a mother accused NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) of covering up possible factors in her daughter's death. | Anas Sarwar made the call after a mother accused NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) of covering up possible factors in her daughter's death. |
| Mr Sarwar said the health board had tried to intimidate health service whistleblowers who had raised concerns. | Mr Sarwar said the health board had tried to intimidate health service whistleblowers who had raised concerns. |
| NHSGGC said the source of the child's infection could not be determined. | NHSGGC said the source of the child's infection could not be determined. |
| Earlier this week a whistleblower revealed that a doctor-led review had identified 26 infections at Glasgow's Royal Hospital for Children in 2017 which were potentially linked to problems with the water supply. | Earlier this week a whistleblower revealed that a doctor-led review had identified 26 infections at Glasgow's Royal Hospital for Children in 2017 which were potentially linked to problems with the water supply. |
| Kimberly Darroch, whose daughter Milly Main died at the hospital in August 2017 while in remission from leukaemia, said health officials gave her no inkling that contaminated water could have been a factor. | |
| Health Secretary Jeane Freeman has said the first she knew of Milly's death was when Ms Darroch emailed her about her concerns in September. | Health Secretary Jeane Freeman has said the first she knew of Milly's death was when Ms Darroch emailed her about her concerns in September. |
| NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde has offered to meet the family to discuss their concerns - but said it was impossible to accurately determine the source of Milly's infection because there was no requirement for water testing at the time. | NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde has offered to meet the family to discuss their concerns - but said it was impossible to accurately determine the source of Milly's infection because there was no requirement for water testing at the time. |
| It said the hospital's water had been independently assessed as safe, and it criticised the whistleblower for causing "stress and anxiety" for Milly's parents when there was no evidence of a link. | It said the hospital's water had been independently assessed as safe, and it criticised the whistleblower for causing "stress and anxiety" for Milly's parents when there was no evidence of a link. |
| Anas Sarwar, however, insisted the health board had let down both patients and staff. | Anas Sarwar, however, insisted the health board had let down both patients and staff. |
| He said: "There was an attempted cover-up of Milly's death, and there are still dozens of families who don't know the truth about infections contracted in the QEUH. | He said: "There was an attempted cover-up of Milly's death, and there are still dozens of families who don't know the truth about infections contracted in the QEUH. |
| "This only came to light following the brave actions of an NHS whistleblower. But rather than seek answers for patients and the public, the health board resorted to attacking the whistleblower, threatening and intimidating them." | "This only came to light following the brave actions of an NHS whistleblower. But rather than seek answers for patients and the public, the health board resorted to attacking the whistleblower, threatening and intimidating them." |
| The Labour MSP said Health Secretary Jeane Freeman only knew about Milly's death because she was contacted by her mother "despite health chiefs at the board knowing since the doctor-led review earlier this year". | The Labour MSP said Health Secretary Jeane Freeman only knew about Milly's death because she was contacted by her mother "despite health chiefs at the board knowing since the doctor-led review earlier this year". |
| Ms Freeman has ordered a public inquiry into issues at the Glasgow "super hospital" site and Edinburgh's new children's hospital - but Mr Sarwar said more urgent action was needed. | Ms Freeman has ordered a public inquiry into issues at the Glasgow "super hospital" site and Edinburgh's new children's hospital - but Mr Sarwar said more urgent action was needed. |
| He said: "The Scottish government must now step in and put the health board into special measures, so that ministers take control, staff can speak out in confidence they will not lose their jobs, and - most importantly - parents can learn the truth." | He said: "The Scottish government must now step in and put the health board into special measures, so that ministers take control, staff can speak out in confidence they will not lose their jobs, and - most importantly - parents can learn the truth." |
| The £842m Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QEUH) opened in 2015 and the campus includes the adjoining Royal Hospital for Children. | The £842m Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QEUH) opened in 2015 and the campus includes the adjoining Royal Hospital for Children. |
| Two cancer wards at the children's hospital were closed last year amid concern about the water supply, with patients decanted to the adult hospital. | Two cancer wards at the children's hospital were closed last year amid concern about the water supply, with patients decanted to the adult hospital. |
| In January it emerged that two patients at the QEUH had died after contracting a fungal infection linked to pigeon droppings. | In January it emerged that two patients at the QEUH had died after contracting a fungal infection linked to pigeon droppings. |
| NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde said in a statement: "This week's coverage will have been very challenging for Milly's family. It is a tragedy in any situation when a young child dies. We would again like to share our deepest condolences with the family involved. | NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde said in a statement: "This week's coverage will have been very challenging for Milly's family. It is a tragedy in any situation when a young child dies. We would again like to share our deepest condolences with the family involved. |
| "We have offered to meet Mrs Darroch to discuss her concerns, and to answer her questions where we can. | "We have offered to meet Mrs Darroch to discuss her concerns, and to answer her questions where we can. |
| "We fully understand that the family wants to know whether the infection Milly had is connected to the water supply. | "We fully understand that the family wants to know whether the infection Milly had is connected to the water supply. |
| "The truth is there is no way to know this 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." | "The truth is there is no way to know this 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." |