A health board's change in position regarding the potential source of infections at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital has caused 'indescribable distress' to bereaved relatives, an inquiry has been told.
The anguish experienced by Molly Cuddihy's family was 'further exacerbated' by the fact she died at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow before learning of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde's (NHSGGC) altered stance, the Scottish Hospitals Inquiry heard.
Clare Connelly, representing both the Cuddihy and Mackay families, also highlighted a 'systemic breach' by NHSGGC of its obligations to child wellbeing under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Scottish Government's Getting it Right for Every Child framework (GIRFEC).
Ms Cuddihy, who was treated for a rare form of cancer, developed septic shock and was diagnosed with mycobacterium chelonae, a line infection later confirmed to have originated from the hospital environment. In a significant shift, the health board acknowledged in written closing submissions that there was likely a 'causal connection' between some patient infections and the hospital's water system.
Ms Connelly shared excerpts from a statement Ms Cuddihy had prepared for a hearing, in which she described her declining health due to intensive antibiotic treatment and expressed concerns about her limited lifespan. She also criticised NHSGGC's management, stating: 'Their utter contempt for the entire process has been clear, and the total disregard they have shown for the patients and their families has been startling.'
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde has issued a 'sincere and unreserved apology' to those affected and maintains that the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital and Royal Hospital for Children are safe facilities. Prosecutors are investigating Ms Cuddihy's death, whilst the health board faces a corporate homicide probe into the deaths of three children and a 73-year-old woman at the QEUH campus.
