Cancer ward at Glasgow infection scandal hospital partially closed after mould and water ingress discovery
The Scottish government has confirmed it is aware of the “incident” at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital.
A cancer ward at Glasgow’s infections scandal hospital has been partially closed after mould and dirty water ingress was discovered.
The development comes after SNP ministers insisted the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QEUH) is safe for patients.
Concerns have not been raised that the “safety and cleanliness issues at this flagship hospital are very much a live problem”.
Mould and water leaks have been discovered in clinical areas within the adult bone marrow transplant (BMT) unit, which treats patients with severely weakened immune systems, according to Sky News.
Several rooms in Ward 4B have been closed following the discovery and patients have been moved out.
Earlier this month, First Minister John Swinney told MSPs that recent investigations into the water and ventilation systems at the QEUH, commissioned by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, revealed “positive” results.
But Professor Hugh Pennington, emeritus professor of bacteriology at Aberdeen University, told Sky News that the ward affected "is not safe, and nobody should be saying it is".
The public health expert warned that any type of mould "could kill" bone marrow patients, adding that the ward "should be closing" until repairs are complete.
As part of evidence heard at the public inquiry held into the failings at the QEUH, concerns were raised about "dirty water ingress and damp material" in the BMT ward, with allegations it was posing "a real danger to high-risk patients".
Scottish Labour leader, Anas Sarwar, told The Scotsman he was “deeply concerned” about the situation at the QEUH.
He added: “It highlights why we were right to question the first minister week after week for the last month or so for the failure to give basic answers to the families - not just what’s happened in the past, but what’s happening in the here and now.
“It still baffles me that we have a hospital that was open over a decade ago that has not been validated. We still don’t have a commitment from this government that they will validate every ward, every unit and every room in this hospital.”
Scottish Conservative health spokesperson, Dr Sandesh Gulhane, said: “This latest shocking revelation pours cold water on John Swinney and Neil Gray’s claims that everything is fine at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital.
“Vulnerable patients are at serious risk if mould and dirty water have been discovered in this cancer ward.”
He added: “Damning report after damning report shows that safety and cleanliness issues at this flagship hospital are very much a live problem rather than SNP ministers telling everyone they had been sorted.
“SNP ministers and senior bosses at NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde must urgently come clean about this incident and what they knew and when and what they are doing to protect patients and staff.
“The stench of secrecy and spin around this scandal must stop. Patients and families deserve the truth from SNP ministers and health board chiefs as to just how safe this hospital is.”
A spokesperson for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde told Sky News that issues in the cancer 4B ward were being managed under "recognised processes".
The spokesperson added: "We are in communication with patients to ensure they are fully kept up to date."
A Scottish government spokesman said: "We are aware of an incident within NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and remain in direct contact with the chief executive and her team to understand the circumstances and ensure a swift and appropriate response.
"We have been clear with the board that the safety of patients and staff remains our absolute priority."
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