Nicola Sturgeon has firmly rejected allegations that she pressured officials to open the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QEUH) in Glasgow before it was fully ready, calling the claims “completely untrue.”
The accusations come amid an ongoing inquiry into the hospital’s safety, following the tragic death of 10-year-old Milly Main in 2017. Milly contracted a deadly infection at the Royal Hospital for Children’s cancer ward, located on the QEUH campus. The case has drawn significant public and media attention, particularly as the health board, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC), recently acknowledged that conditions at the hospital might have contributed to infections.
At the heart of the controversy is the question of whether political pressures played a role in the facility’s premature opening in 2015. Sturgeon, who served as health secretary when the hospital was commissioned and as first minister when it opened, has consistently denied any involvement in forcing the hospital’s early debut.
Pressure and Accountability
The inquiry has heard that “pressure” was applied to ensure the hospital met its 2015 opening deadline. In its closing submission, NHSGGC admitted that the hospital’s environment likely contributed to infections, though they did not specify who exerted this pressure. This has fueled speculation about potential political interference, leading opposition figures to demand that Sturgeon make a statement to the Scottish Parliament.
Kimberley Darroch, the mother of Milly Main, appeared alongside Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar in a press conference on Friday, demanding accountability. She said, “I do believe Nicola Sturgeon knows something, my message to her is to come forward and be honest.” Darroch also expressed frustration that it took so long for the health board to acknowledge the role the hospital’s environment may have played in the infections.
“We are closer to the truth today than we were six years ago, but I feel we only know half the story,” Darroch added. She emphasized that she would not stop fighting for the full truth behind the hospital’s failings. “The only thing I can be sure of today is that Milly does not want me to give up until the truth is uncovered,” she said.
Sturgeon responded in a statement, expressing sympathy for those affected by the situation and reiterating that she had no knowledge of safety concerns at the time of the hospital’s opening. “Any suggestion that I applied pressure for the hospital to open before it was ready or that I had any knowledge of safety concerns at that time are completely untrue,” she said, adding that the independent inquiry was established to ensure full transparency.
Scottish Labour’s Anas Sarwar also paid tribute to the doctors who risked their careers to speak out about the hospital’s issues. He praised Dr Teresa Inkster, Dr Penelope Redding, and Dr Christine Peters, calling them “amazing, inspiring, strong women” who fought against an organization that attempted to silence them.
Meanwhile, Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay has pressed the government for answers regarding who exactly applied pressure on the NHS to meet the hospital’s opening deadline. He questioned Deputy First Minister John Swinney, demanding clarity on whether Sturgeon or any other officials were involved in the decision to expedite the facility’s launch.
Both NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and the Scottish Government have been contacted for comment, but neither has provided further details at this time.
