Whistleblower's Heart Condition Treated at Same Hospital She Exposed
A courageous whistleblower who played a pivotal role in uncovering the infection scandal at Scotland's flagship £1 billion superhospital has revealed the devastating personal toll of her six-year battle for truth. Dr Penelope Redding, one of three female medics who repeatedly raised alarms about dangerous water and ventilation systems, disclosed that the immense stress of her campaign saw her admitted to the very hospital she was exposing with a serious heart condition.
The Personal Cost of Speaking Out
Dr Redding, employed as a consultant microbiologist and infection control specialist at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow, found herself in the coronary care unit of the same facility suffering from stress-related cardiac problems. Her family pleaded with her to abandon her fight for the sake of her health, but she persisted despite the personal consequences.
'I was trying repeatedly to get my voice heard and the stress of it was making me ill,' Dr Redding told The Mail on Sunday. 'It is surreal that I ended up being treated for a stress-related heart condition in the very hospital where the management wouldn't listen to the risks the whistleblowers were raising about immunocompromised patients there.'
The 75-year-old explained that after her hospitalisation, she initially resolved to step back from the controversy. However, she soon realised that abandoning the cause created even greater stress than continuing her advocacy. 'I found the stories from the patients and families very compelling, and I couldn't abandon them,' she stated.
A Retirement Dominated by Scandal
Dr Redding's retirement has been completely overshadowed by the ongoing scandal and subsequent Scottish Hospitals Inquiry, significantly reducing the time she has been able to spend with her family, particularly her grandchildren. 'My ability to live the retirement I had hoped for has been curtailed,' she acknowledged. 'It's emotionally draining to be reminded again and again of all the things that have happened. However, the patients and families have been through much more than me.'
Colleague Reveals Culture of Bullying
Dr Christine Peters, a fellow whistleblower who continues to work at the hospital, separately disclosed the severe personal impact of her attempts to raise concerns with NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde. She described a toxic culture of bullying and intimidation that left her feeling marginalised and undermined.
'There was just a culture of bullying,' Dr Peters revealed. 'I was shouted at, I was told I was "head of nothing" when I had introduced myself at a meeting as head of the department for microbiology at the QEUH. I was sidelined, made to feel as though I was "bonkers" because I was experiencing mental health difficulties, as a result of the stress of trying to deal with whistleblowing and raising concerns.'
Despite her own suffering, Dr Peters emphasised that her experiences pale in comparison to what affected families have endured. 'My own suffering in this can't be compared to what they have gone through, but I find it hugely distressing to think that some of their suffering was avoidable,' she said.
Years of Dismissed Warnings
Dr Peters, Dr Redding, and Dr Teresa Inkster – all microbiologists serving as infection control doctors – have been praised for their persistent efforts to highlight dangerous flaws in the hospital's ventilation and water systems that posed serious risks to vulnerable patients. The three specialists raised alarms dozens of times to various management levels, only to be consistently dismissed as troublemakers.
Their worst fears were tragically validated when patients, primarily those undergoing cancer treatment, began contracting rare infections. Several individuals, including schoolgirl Milly Main, grandmother Gayle Armstrong, and Scottish government adviser Andrew Slorance, ultimately died from these infections.
Long-Awaited Apology and Ongoing Concerns
Last week, in a significant development, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde formally admitted through their legal representatives that the three whistleblowers had been failed by the system and issued an unreserved apology. This admission came just months after the health board's former medical director, Jennifer Armstrong, had controversially suggested the women were more focused on 'proving themselves right' than on patient welfare.
Dr Peters described the entire process as 'deeply damaging' and expressed concerns that she continues to face victimisation in her current role. 'I do not have any confidence whatsoever that there is any change in culture,' she stated. 'I hear a lot of claims being made about change. Unfortunately I've heard this many times over the last decade – always implying the past is over, moving forward, all is well. This hasn't been borne out so far.'
For Dr Peters, the health board's apology has provided little comfort, particularly as it was delivered indirectly through the inquiry rather than personally. 'To have horrendous accusations made about me at a high-profile public inquiry... it felt like a trial of me personally when all I had done was my job,' she explained.
Systemic Failures and Future Risks
Dr Redding recalled that when she first began highlighting concerns about the hospital's infrastructure, one manager asked if she really 'wanted to end [her] career like this.' She retired in 2018 but continued her whistleblowing activities even after leaving the health board's employment.
Both doctors remain deeply concerned about ongoing risks to patient safety if the fundamental culture within the health board does not undergo genuine transformation. 'Patient safety is at risk if there isn't a culture which supports staff raising concerns,' Dr Redding warned. 'Staff still have a fear of speaking out, and that'll be a huge challenge to overcome. It has always been the case but many feel even more concerned now, having witnessed how me and my colleagues were treated.'
The Medical and Dental Defence Union of Scotland, which has supported the whistleblowers throughout their ordeal, issued a statement saying: 'They spoke up about their grave concerns for patients' safety using a "whistleblowing" system they believed would take them seriously. Instead, that system turned on them and made wholly false allegations about their professionalism that have caused lasting damage to their previously unblemished careers.'
The organisation added that the three doctors remain profoundly concerned about the organisational culture within the senior infection prevention control team at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, questioning whether necessary lessons have truly been learned to protect future patient safety.
