Lord Brodie to chair public inquiry into two Scottish hospitals

A serving Court of Session judge has been appointed to chair the public inquiry into issues at Glasgow’s Queen Elizabeth University Hospital and the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People in Edinburgh.

The Right Honourable Lord Brodie, who is a serving judge of the Inner House of the Court of Session and a senator of the College of Justice, was appointed by Health Secretary Jeane Freeman.

The inquiry, announced by Freeman in September, will examine how serious problems relating to key building systems and infrastructure occurred, and what steps can be taken to prevent these in future projects.

Freeman will meet with Lord Brodie before the end of the year to discuss terms of reference and timescales for the inquiry, reporting to the Scottish Parliament in the new year.

Freeman said: “I announced this independent public inquiry following concerns, including from parents and families, over the quality of our NHS major infrastructure, its safety and compliance with standards and the impact that has on the delivery of healthcare to patients.

“This is crucial work and I am pleased that a person of Lord Brodie’s stature and legal standing will lead this important inquiry.

“The safety of patients and their families will always be my top priority – they must have the right support and information to give them confidence that they are receiving the best care possible from our NHS.

“This inquiry and its recommendations will help us learn lessons from recent issues so they are not repeated in the future.

“I have a statutory obligation to consult with the chair on the inquiry’s terms of reference, and I also intend to share these with patients and families. I will provide a further update to Parliament early in the new year.”