Ministers did not pressure scandal-hit hospital to open too soon, John Swinney says

The SNP government did not put pressure on Glasgow's health board to open the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QEUH) before it was ready, John Swinney has said.

He also committed to release any information held by government relating to the opening of the hospital, "subject to any appropriate redactions".

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde this week admitted that it had opened the QEUH too early.

In its closing submission to the Scottish Hospitals Inquiry, the health board said: “Pressure was applied to open the hospital on time and on budget, and it is now clear that the hospital opened too early. It was not ready.”

It also admitted there was likely a “causal connection” between infections acquired by cancer patients and the hospital environment, “particularly the water supply”.

Raising the matter at FMQs, Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay and Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar quizzed Swinney on where the pressure to open before it was safe to do so had come from.

The hospital opened in April 2015, not long before the general election of that year, when Nicola Sturgeon was first minister and Swinney was her deputy.

Findlay asked: “Did Nicola Sturgeon or anyone else in the SNP government apply political pressure to open the hospital before it was ready?”

Swinney replied: “The direct answer to that question is no.”

Sarwar highlighted an inspection report written before its opening which warned of the high infection risk.

He said it was “not credible” that ministers had not seen this report. “Pressure was applied and the hospital opened anyway, with devastating consequences. So who applied that pressure and why?”

The first minister said ministers were not aware of issues with the water supply until 2018, with the government announcing the public inquiry in 2019 in response.

Speaking to journalists afterwards, Swinney added: “I don’t believe the Scottish Government had sight of that report when Mr Sarwar said that we did, I think it was much later. But we’re getting into lots and lots of details about a very complex public inquiry. You’ll forgive me if I don’t answer specific questions.”

On the question of pressure, he told the chamber: “Mr Sarwar raises with me a point which is absolutely fundamental to the conduct of the public inquiry which Lord Brodie is undertaking. I acknowledge the significant public interest in this issue, which is why Lord Brodie must have the opportunity to consider and to reflect on the evidence, and to set out his conclusions.”

Families of loved ones who died or were seriously ill after acquiring an infection while being treated at the hospital will give closing statements to the inquiry on Thursday afternoon.

In a written statement released via solicitors today, they said: “Major flaws in the water and ventilation system at the hospital killed and poisoned our loved ones… We were all lied to by GGCH [Greater Glasgow and Clyde health board]. We were all disbelieved by GGCH. We were all demeaned and smeared by GGCH. We have all had our families devastated and our lives traumatised by GGCH.”

The statement also raised concerns about the ongoing safety of the hospital.

Findlay said the families had been “let down”, while hospital staff who raised concerns were “bullied and silenced”. He called for those responsible to be sacked.

Swinney expressed his sympathies with those impacted and acknowledge their “pain” had been “compounded” by the barriers faced as they fought for answers.

He sought to assure the public the hospital was safe, pointing to the evidence given to the inquiry that the water system was “currently well managed” and “significant improvements” had been made.

He told journalists afterwards that he had confidence in the health board, adding it was “pretty obvious that the culture of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde has had to change, and there is new leadership”.