Families Vow to Continue Fight as Hospital Infection Inquiry Nears Conclusion
Relatives of patients treated at a major Scottish hospital complex have declared "we are going nowhere" as a landmark public inquiry into infection-related deaths hears closing arguments. The families have delivered a powerful statement accusing health authorities of "gross misconduct, incompetence and dishonesty" that they claim directly led to fatalities and serious illnesses.
"Our Loved Ones Were Killed and Poisoned"
In emotional testimony presented on Thursday, families described how they trusted the hospital system only to be "left at the mercy" of facilities with defective infrastructure. Their statement, read by lawyer Stephanie Spencer from Thompsons Solicitors Scotland, painted a devastating picture of institutional failure.
"We came to the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in desperate need of help," the statement declared. "Instead, we were left at the mercy of a hospital with a defective ventilation system and a defective water system. We have been devastated. Some of our loved ones have died. Some are left with very serious lifelong consequences."
Health Board Admits Environmental Links to Infections
The inquiry has been examining the design and construction of Glasgow's Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QEUH) and the adjacent Royal Hospital for Children, which share the same campus. The investigation was launched following multiple deaths linked to infections, including the tragic case of 10-year-old Milly Main in 2017.
In written closing submissions, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) acknowledged for the first time that there was probably a causal connection between patient infections and the hospital environment, particularly the water system. The health board conceded that pressure to open the facility on time and on budget meant it opened "too early" and was "not ready."
Families Accuse Health Board of Systematic Failure
The families' statement delivered scathing criticism of NHSGGC's handling of the crisis, alleging a pattern of dismissive behavior toward concerned relatives. "When we raised concerns, you ignored us," they stated. "When we protested, you demeaned and smeared us. Your army of legal advisers and press spin doctors worked over years to undermine us."
Steve Love KC, representing many affected families, told the inquiry that patients had felt completely unheard throughout the four-year process. He emphasized that the health board's approach had fundamentally eroded public trust, with families "astonished and frankly angered" to learn the hospital wasn't properly ready when it opened in 2015.
Calls for Immediate Action and Accountability
The families have issued several specific demands, including:
- A full and immediate upgrade of the entire hospital complex
- Dismissal of those responsible for the failures
- Stripping of pensions related to health board work
- Decisive political intervention
"Our politicians must act now and act decisively," their statement concluded. "Look at the pictures of our loved ones. Will the fates they have suffered count for nothing? Do the people of Scotland not deserve better than lying health board officials?"
Health Board Offers Apology While Defending Current Safety
NHSGGC has extended what it describes as a "sincere and unreserved apology" to affected patients and families while maintaining that both hospitals are safe today. The board stated that comprehensive steps have been taken to address past physical defects, with significant maintenance and monitoring programs now in place.
However, the health board's written submissions contained contradictory elements, simultaneously suggesting that "there is no definite link between infections and the water system" while accepting it was "more likely than not" that environmentally relevant infections in paediatric patients between 2016 and 2018 were connected to the water system.
Political Response and Inquiry Timeline
Scottish Health Secretary Neil Gray acknowledged the trauma experienced by families and emphasized the government's commitment to uncovering the truth through the public inquiry. "We have provided all relevant evidence to the inquiry," he stated, "and it is important that we allow it the space to consider its final conclusions."
The inquiry, which has been ongoing for four years at significant public expense, is now in its final stages. Families have vowed to maintain pressure on authorities until they receive what they consider to be proper accountability and systemic changes to prevent similar tragedies in future.
