‘How do you sleep at night?’ First minister pressed over children left with ‘debilitating’ conditions

Families of children left with “life-long debilitating conditions” after extended use of anti-infection drugs must be given answers, Anas Sarwar has said.

The Scottish Labour leader has called for an independent panel to investigate the circumstances surrounding each individual case where a child was prescribed such medication for a prolonged period.

He said families were “lied to” when they were told the use of prophylaxis was standard treatment “not connected to the hospital environment”.

The children were being treated at Queen Elizabeth University Hospital after March 2018, when Scottish ministers because aware of problems relating to patient safety and infection control.

Sarwar said setting up an expert panel would ensure families were given answers, as the ongoing Scottish Hospitals Inquiry is not investigating individual cases.

First Minister John Swinney said he was “absolutely committed” to ensuring families were provided with answers. However, while he agreed to “consider” the request for a panel, he said he did not want to “pre-judge” the outcome of the wider inquiry.

The families of four children left with issues relating the prolonged use of anti-infection drugs were in parliament on Thursday. Problems include severe stomach pain, vomiting, and incontinence.

Sarwar said: “They want the truth about what happened to their children, and they want no other family to suffer like they have.

“John Swinney has referenced the public inquiry, but he knows the public inquiry is not looking at individual cases and therefore cannot give the answers these families deserve.

“There must be a genuinely independent expert panel, not connected to the health board or the government, to look at each of these cases on an individual basis, allow each these families to ask all the questions they have, get the answers they need and the truth they deserve.”

Sarwar said he had asked the families what they would ask the first minister: “Mark, whose daughter Charlie is 14 and has to take regular hormone injections, said simply, ‘ I would ask John Swinney, how do you sleep at night’?”

Swinney would not comment on the use of the antibiotics, saying this was a clinical decision.

But on the wider issue, he said: “I am absolutely committed to making sure that families get the truth.

“Now, Mr Sarwar asked me to put in place a process which I think in all honestly I have to reserve my position on until we get the report from Lord Brodie, because parliament has asked for a public inquiry to be undertaken and I cannot as first minister pre-judge the outcome of that public inquiry.

“That is what I think it the rational thing to do – but I will consider the point that Mr Sarwar gives.”

A spokesperson from NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde said prophlactic drugs can be prescribed as part of routine care or as a precaution if there are concerns about the environment.

They said: "We are very sorry to hear about the distress these children and their families are experiencing following their illness.

"While we cannot comment on individual patient cases due to confidentiality, consultants are always transparent with families about medication provided."

They added: "The environment at the Royal Hospital for Children is safe and this medication continues to be prescribed to some patients receiving treatment as part of patient medical protocol."