Exclusive:Grieving QEUH mother says Fiona McQueen resignation 'admission of guilt' over 'appalling Disneyland remarks
A grieving mother who claims Fiona McQueen bribed her family after the death of her daughter has labelled her resignation from public office as “an admission of guilt”.
A grieving mother who claims her family was offered a bribe after the death of her daughter has labelled her resignation from public office as “an admission of guilt”.
Fiona McQueen, the former chief nursing officer and responsible for infection control strategies during the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QEUH) infection scandal, resigned as chairwoman of the Scottish Police Authority.
Her resignation comes after The Scotsman revealed that Ms McQueen had suggested that the under-fire Glasgow health board offer grieving families “50 grand which is a trip to Disneyland”.
Ms McQueen made the comments in a meeting with whistleblowers who lifted the lid on the QEUH scandal.
Dr Christine Peters, a consultant microbiologist at the QEUH who was an infection control doctor when the facility opened, revealed the remarks took place at a meeting with Ms McQueen in December 2019, weeks after the full picture of infections emerged at the Glasgow hospital.
It was also alleged that Ms McQueen offered Theresa Smith and her family £20,000 during a phone call in 2019 after her daughter, Sophia, died at just 12 days old in 2017 after contracting an infection while in hospital which developed into sepsis.
Ms Smith has spoken out following Ms McQueen’s resignation from her public role and vented her frustration after First Minister John Swinney suggested he had confidence in her continuing in the public eye.
Speaking to The Scotsman, Ms Smith said: “Fiona McQueen’s resignation cannot undo the loss of our daughter, Sophia.
“Sophia was adored and cherished, but her life was cut short by an infection at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow. Losing her has left a wound that will never heal.”
She added: “Families deserve truth, accountability, and transparency, not attempts to silence their pain.”
Ms Smith argued that Ms McQueen’s actions “show she is not fit for public office”.
She added: “Her resignation is, in my view, an admission of guilt, and it is beyond comprehension that John Swinney recently said he had full confidence in her despite the suffering she caused.”
Families grieving from losing loved ones at the QEUH are still demanding answers over the scandal.
“The NICU unit must be fully investigated”, Ms Smith said.
“While the main campus has been examined, this area has not, and families deserve the same scrutiny.
“Sophia will never be forgotten. We will continue to fight for truth, justice, and to prevent any other family experiencing this devastation.”
Scottish Labour deputy leader, Jackie Baillie, said: “Fiona McQueen’s resignation doesn’t change a thing – John Swinney and the SNP still have serious questions to answer about this shameful episode.
“Families deserve to know the truth about why the hospital was opened before it was safe, who participated in the cover-up that followed and whether the hospital is safe now.”
The Scottish Police Authority (SPA) confirmed Ms McQueen was stepping down with immediate effect for personal and family reasons.
Ms McQueen said: “It has been a privilege to serve on the Scottish Police Authority and to work alongside dedicated board colleagues and the leadership teams across policing in Scotland."
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