MSPs begin inquiry into infection control in Scotland’s hospitals

Hospital corridor - Image credit: Julie Kertesz

Holyrood’s Health and Sport Committee will begin its inquiry into infections in Scotland’s hospitals today.

The inquiry follows recent deaths from infections at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow.

While the Scottish Government launched an independent external review of the Queen Elizabeth last month, the committee’s inquiry will have a wider focus, looking at safety in healthcare settings more generally.

In its first evidence session, the committee will hear from director of the Health and Safety Executive Iain Brodie, director of quality assurance at Healthcare Improvement Scotland Alastair Delaney as well as NHS National Services Scotland’s director of procurement, commissioning and facilities Jim Miller and director of public health and intelligence Phillip Couser.

Ahead of the session, Committee Convener Lewis Macdonald MSP said: “Recently there have been increasing incidents of infection in Scotland’s hospitals raising serious questions about the safety and control of our healthcare environments.

“Our session on Tuesday is vital for the committee to learn the scale of the problem and ensure robust measures are in place to combat any issues.

“This evidence session will allow us to hear directly from those responsible for the healthcare facilities in Scotland and we will ensure any issues raised are brought to the attention of the Scottish Government.”