SUNDAY MAIL EXCLUSIVE: Patients and families say they are still suffering from the trauma of their experiences at the £842m Glasgow facility.
(Image: Getty Images)
More than £78m has been spent investigating and repairing a scandal-hit superhospital since it opened a decade ago, the Sunday Mail can reveal.
The Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QEUH) which cost £842m to build, officially opened in Glasgow 10 years ago this month in a glittering ceremony attended by the late Queen Elizabeth.
But the celebrations quickly turned to misery for dozens of patients who began developing rare bugs while being treated at the site.
Since July 2015, the Scottish Government, NHS Glasgow and Greater Clyde (NHSGGC) and NHS National Services Scotland have shelled out at least £78m on repairs, safety measures and a major public inquiry into construction of the QEUH and adjoining Royal Hospital for Children (RHC).
That includes almost £10m to fix ventilation in a child cancer ward, £6m on tap filters, £880k on water and air testing and £17m to fix the internal atrium and roof, according to new data obtained by the Sunday Mail.
Grenfell-style cladding also had to be removed, costing £4m and the ongoing public inquiry, including lawyers for the NHS and government, has cost around £32m so far.
However the eight figure sum doesn’t include the costs of an ongoing £91m lawsuit taken by NHSGGC against hospital construction firm Brookfield Multiplex.
Anas Sarwar, Scottish Labour leader, branded the hospital saga “the single biggest scandal in the devolution era” and called for those responsible to be prosecuted.
Meanwhile families continue to struggle with the trauma of their experiences at the superhospital over the last decade.
David Campbell’s 11-year-old son James was treated for cancer at the hospital in 2018. He was given infection-preventing drugs without his family’s knowledge.
James Campbell, who was treated at the RHC for cancer at the age of four, is now undergoing more treatment after his cancer returned.(Image: HANDOUT)
His admission was at the height of the infections scandal when medics were raising concerns about ventilation and patients were developing rare bugs.
Seven years later, James is facing a fresh nightmare after learning his cancer has returned. He is now being treated again at the RHC.
Dad David, 47. from Helensburgh said: “We were told it was safe in 2018 and now we know it wasn’t. We’re being told it’s safe now. What do I tell my son?
“He is much more aware of things now and he asks if the hospital is safe.
“It’s absolutely terrifying having to take him there again but we have no choice.
“The doctor who treats James is excellent and we trust him, but it’s the safety of the building I can’t get over.”
(Image: SUNDAY MAIL)
After James had finished his first round of treatment seven years ago, David spoke publicly about his concerns with the hospital in the hope changes would be made to prevent other families suffering as they did.
He said: “I never expected for James to have to go back there and now I feel like I’ve achieved nothing in the last five years.
“They say changes have been made but from where I’m standing it’s the same problems and the same bad attitude from the health board management.”
For the first time ever in Scotland, NHSGGC has been named as a suspect in a corporate homicide probe into the deaths of four patients at the hospital campus, including cancer patients Milly Main, 10, and Gail Armstrong, 73.
Anas Sarwar with Kimberley Darroch(Image: Getty Images)
The Scottish Labour leader said those responsible for the hospital’s host of failures which result in patient deaths and suffering should have been prosecuted.
Sarwar said: “I can’t think of a single bigger scandal that’s had human cost, government incompetence, institutional bias, systematic lies, a culture of cover up, secrecy and misinformation, disinformation and spin.
“Where the institution has been seen as being more important to protect than individual families or their lives or children’s lives.
“Those who were ultimately responsible for this – those who were around when the hospital was designed, built, opened or when the ultimate tragedies happened and people were losing their lives, those people have never been held to account.
“They managed to go away with their probably golden pensions and payoffs and with the pretence of their reputation being intact.
“In my view, they should be in jail. That’s how extreme this crisis and the whole situation is. It’s completely unforgivable.”
Sarwar also said the £78m spent so far on the scandal was “ too high, but the human cost has been unimaginable”.
Milly Main (left ) Kimberly Darroch (right)(Image: Supplied)
He said: “Take the death of Milly Main as an example. That’s a pain that no matter what anyone does, no matter how many times you say sorry it’s never going to make that right.
“On top of that these families are having to retell their stories, relive their trauma, fight every single day, to take baby steps of progress as they take on an institution protects itself rather than feeling as if the weight of government is on their side,
“That is a really harsh lesson we have to learn in Scotland. The system is rigged against the victim and in favor of the establishment.”
In March solicitors at the Scottish Hospitals Inquiry stated they believed the QEUH had a ventilation system which remains unsafe and defective to this day, which NHSGGC has denied.
AN NHSGGC spokesman said they “fully acknowledge the concerns of families and remain committed to supporting the ongoing inquiry to help answer these questions.”
He said: “It is clear that we did not get the specification or quality of the hospitals that we sought and legal proceedings are ongoing”.
NHSGGC said it has taken “significant action to reduce environmental risks” in the QEUH and RHC, and that the sites have “better mortality rates than predicted” with healthcare-associated infections “in line with or below the national average.”
The spokesman said: “We want to reassure patients, families, staff, and the public of our ongoing focus on patient safety and high-quality care.
Health Secretary Neil Gray said he didn’t accept Sarwar’s “characterisation”.
He said: “While he tries to make political hay with these comments there is a very real human element here.
“So, my thoughts today are with the families who have lost a loved one at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in such tragic circumstances.
“There’s an ongoing, independent inquiry – launched by Ministers – looking into the construction of the hospital.
“Its findings will be dealt with openly and honestly by this government.
“There are significant challenges at the hospital, as there are across the NHS, but most people experience professional, high-quality and loving care from staff at the Queen Elizabeth.”
Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community!
Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today.
You’ll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland.
No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team.
All you have to do is click here if you’re on mobile, select ‘Join Community’ and you’re in!
If you’re on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click ‘Join Community’.
We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like.
To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose ‘exit group’.
If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.