Senior Official's 'Disneyland' Remark Sparks Political Firestorm
A high-ranking Scottish Government official has been accused of suggesting 'bribes' to bereaved families affected by the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital infections scandal. Fiona McQueen, who served as Scotland's chief nursing officer at the time, allegedly proposed that NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde should have offered families '50 grand which is a trip to Disneyland' rather than denying harm occurred.
Whistleblower Evidence Reveals Controversial Comments
The remarks emerged through evidence submitted to the ongoing Scottish hospitals inquiry. Dr Christine Peters, a consultant microbiologist who worked as an infection control doctor when the QEUH opened, provided a written statement detailing a December 2019 meeting with Ms McQueen.
'At one point she said that she couldn't understand "why GGC had not just offered the families 50 grand which is a trip to Disneyland, rather than deny that there had been harm caused",' Dr Peters testified.
Dr Peters expressed profound concern about the sentiment behind the comments: 'I thought that missed the point, which is that there was a safety hazard that had not been dealt with and just paying people off would neither fix the hazard nor the organisation's culture in dealing with it. I was appalled by the sentiment because we weren't there suggesting anyone should get compensation. We wanted the problem to be solved.'
Political Outrage and Demands for Accountability
The controversy erupted at First Minister's Questions, where Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar confronted First Minister John Swinney about the revelations. Mr Sarwar condemned what he described as a systemic culture of cover-up within the Scottish Government.
'The Scottish Government's instinct was to close ranks and cover up, and nowhere is this clearer than a senior official, the chief nursing officer appointed by Shona Robison and the SNP, saying she could not understand why Greater Glasgow and Clyde had not just offered the families 50 grand, which is a trip to Disneyland,' Mr Sarwar declared.
He continued with forceful criticism: 'Shameful, utterly shameful, and it should shame every member in the SNP Government and on the SNP benches: bribes rather than truth and justice. The pain this Government has inflicted on these families is through the roof. So enough, finally stop the denials and the cover-up. Stop the gaslighting of the families and the whistleblowers and the staff, and for once, just be honest.'
Questions About Leadership and Ethical Standards
The Scottish Conservatives joined the criticism, demanding clarity about whether ministers believe Ms McQueen's comments meet the ethical standards required for her current position as chairman of the Scottish Police Authority. The party's health spokesman, Dr Sandesh Gulhane, expressed outrage on behalf of affected families.
'Grieving families will be furious that someone in such a senior position even thought of saying something so callous and offensive,' Dr Gulhane stated. 'Thinking a trip to Disneyland would have offered any comfort to them is grossly insulting and utterly delusional. While these families continue to fight for answers, it sums up SNP-run Scotland that Nicola Sturgeon's chief nursing officer landed on her feet with another plum public sector job.'
Government Response and Ongoing Controversy
When pressed about whether First Minister John Swinney maintained confidence in Ms McQueen continuing her SPA role, his official spokesman responded simply: 'Yes.' This endorsement comes despite mounting political pressure and public scrutiny.
The scandal deepened as Mr Sarwar produced documents contradicting the Scottish Government's previous claims about when they became aware of infections at the hospital. While the government stated it didn't know of infections until March 2018, evidence suggests warnings were received the previous year.
'Warning after warning was sent to the SNP Government and met with inaction, and people died as a result,' Mr Sarwar asserted, highlighting what he characterized as a pattern of governmental failure in addressing the hospital safety crisis.
The Queen Elizabeth University Hospital has remained at the center of this prolonged infections scandal, with families continuing to seek answers and accountability for systemic failures that have caused profound suffering and loss.
