Swinney ‘confident’ of hospital safety after partial closure of ward

John Swinney says he is “confident” the flagship hospital in Glasgow is safe, following reports that a cancer ward was partially closed because of mould and leaks.

The First Minister maintained his assurances about the safety of the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QEUH).

On Monday, Sky News reported that mould and water leaks were identified in clinical areas within the adult bone marrow transplant (BMT) unit, which treats patients with severely weakened immune systems.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde health board said a number of rooms in a ward had been closed “in line with agreed recognised processes”.

In February, the First Minister was sent a letter signed by 27 people affected by the hospital infections scandal, which called for more reassurances about the ongoing safety of the hospital.

Mr Swinney said he understood their concerns but stated that he believed the hospital is safe.

He was asked about the latest reports during a visit to Inverness on Wednesday.

Mr Swinney told the Press Association: “I’m confident that the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital is safe for patients.

“There will be issues that emerge from time to time with individual hospitals that require a response and action to make sure that safety is maintained.

“That is exactly what’s going on at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital under the leadership of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde.

“All of that focus is necessary to make sure that we can continue to be confident in the safety of the hospital, and that’s the work that will be undertaken.”

Earlier this week, a spokesperson for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde confirmed that a “number of rooms on ward 4B are closed at the moment and are being managed in line with agreed recognised processes”.

The spokesperson added: “These rooms do not have patients in them and actions have been implemented including sealing the rooms off as a precaution, with additional appropriate infection control measures taken to mitigate any potential risks to patients.

“We are in communication with patients to ensure they are fully kept up to date.”

They said: “Patient safety remains at the heart of everything we do, and infection prevention and control are core priorities across all our hospitals.

“Since the QEUH and RHC (the Royal Hospital for Children) opened in 2015, we have faced challenges linked to the original build quality.

“The building we got was not what we paid for.

“We acknowledge the impact this has had on patients, families, whistleblowers and staff, and we are sorry for the distress caused.”