![\"Queen](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/1_NHS-Queen-Elizabeth-University-Hospital-Glasgow.jpg\")
<\/p>\nThe \u00a31 billion super hospital has been rocked by a series of infection scandals.<\/p>\n
14:17, 05 Mar 2026Updated 14:18, 05 Mar 2026<\/p>\n
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Public confidence in the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital has been shaked(Image: PA)<\/p>\n
A cancer ward at Scotland’s scandal-plagued super hospital that was partially closed due to mould and dirty water ingress has had its infection incident alert level upgraded.<\/p>\n
John Swinney said a red alert has now been issued for one of the wards at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow.<\/p>\n
He said the Scottish Government was first told of an amber alert on the ward, which cares for bone marrow transplant patients, on Thursday February 26.<\/p>\n
The SNP leader said the infection risk rating was upgraded due to \u201cheightened public anxiety\u201d and not because of any increased risk of harm to patients.<\/p>\n
It comes just days after it emerged the ward had been partially closed by the hospital.<\/p>\n
The hospital, one of the largest in the UK, is subject to a national inquiry amid deaths and infections linked to its water and ventilation systems.<\/p>\n
It comes as Swinney was challenged at FMQs today over what he knew about the hospital and when.<\/p>\n
He told MSPs: \u201cI want to be crystal clear with Parliament, the Government received an amber HIIAT (healthcare infection incident assessment tool) alert on February 26, last Thursday, regarding ward 4b at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital.<\/p>\n
READ MORE: SNP Government forced to take down part of Alex Salmond Files over ‘shambolic’ data breach fears<\/a>READ MORE: SNP struggling to raise cash for Holyrood election as just three Scots make major donations<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cThe ward cares for bone marrow transplant patients.<\/p>\n \u201cThis morning, the Government was advised that the HIIAT alert was upgraded to red.<\/p>\n \u201cNow, the issue that has made the difference between the amber alert and the red alert is only one factor of difference, and that is the upgrading of one aspect of the higher assessment tool, which is to acknowledge the heightened public anxiety around this matter.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is not due to any increased risk of harm to patients. It is important that I put that on the record that, fundamentally, the clinical consensus is that the wards in question are safe.\u201d<\/p>\n Anas Sarwar, the Scottish Labour leader, said Swinney\u2019s statement \u201creveals the inconsistency at the heart of this Government\u201d.<\/p>\n He said 14 amber and red warnings were received by ministers before March 2018, when the Government first said it was made aware of issues at the QEUH.<\/p>\n Despite this, Sarwar said the Government \u201ctook no action and denied there were infection risks at the hospital\u201d.<\/p>\n Speaking to the First Minister, he said: \u201cHe now admits that amber and red warnings come to the Government.<\/p>\n \u201cSo why were they ignored before 2018? People died as a result.<\/p>\n \u201cEvery step of the way this SNP Government has attempted to misinform, deflect and deny.<\/p>\n \u201cProgress has only ever been made when they have been backed into a corner, and even now they hide behind process rather than just tell the truth.\u201d<\/p>\n Last week, the Scottish Labour leader urged Swinney to establish an independent expert panel to look at individual cases where children were left with \u201clifelong, debilitating conditions\u201d after receiving powerful anti-infection drugs from the hospital.<\/p>\n Swinney said he would consider the call but that he had to let the Scottish Hospitals Inquiry run its course.<\/p>\n Sarwar brought those families to Holyrood to watch FMQs and meet with him.<\/p>\n The First Minister will meet with those families on Thursday, which Sarwar said would be done online rather than in person.<\/p>\n The Scottish Labour leader urged Swinney to apologise to them.<\/p>\n