Baby’s death was not related to built hospital environment, sheriff finds

The death of a 12-day-old baby was not related to the built environment of a flagship hospital in Glasgow, a sheriff has found.

Sophia Smith died at the Royal Hospital for Children (RHC) at Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QEUH) campus in Glasgow on April 11 2017.

She became ill with an infection, which later developed into sepsis.

Following a Fatal Accident Inquiry (FAI), Sheriff Joanna McDonald made formal findings that an active blood stream infection caused by methicillin sensitive Staphylococcus aureus producing Panton-Valentine Leucocidin (PVL-MSSA) materially contributed to Sophia’s death.

However, she found that there were no precautions which could reasonably have been taken that may have prevented Sophia’s death.

The sheriff ruled her death was not related to the built hospital environment and was not associated with the newly built facility at the QEUH campus in Glasgow.

Sophia’s mother Theresa Smith had earlier told the inquiry she believed the infection was caused by the “putrid hospital”.

In the determination the sheriff made a recommendation for weekly screenings for Staphylococcus aureus colonisation in babies being treated in neonatal intensive care and for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde to review their existing protocol.

The sheriff also made a recommendation for Public Health Scotland to share risk, diagnosis and treatment information on PVL-MSSA infections with other neonatal clinical teams throughout Scotland.

Following the publication of the determination, Procurator Fiscal Andy Shanks, who leads on fatalities investigations for COPFS, said: “Sophia Smith’s mother, father and their family have my deepest sympathy for all they have endured.

“The sheriff’s determination, which makes recommendations for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and Public Health Scotland, is extensive and detailed.

“The FAI followed a thorough and comprehensive investigation by the Procurator Fiscal, who ensured that the full facts and circumstances of Sophia’s death were presented in evidence. ”