Inquiry told of 'toxic atmosphere' at Glasgow hospital

An expert says she had never experienced a "more seriously toxic atmosphere" than the one she found among infection prevention and control staff at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow.

In written evidence to the Scottish Hospitals Inquiry, Prof Stephanie Dancer said there was "clear evidence of hospital-acquired infections arising from the environment".

The infection control expert said this was caused by a combination of estates issues, a dysfunctional infection control structure, and a sub-standard building.

The public inquiry is investigating the construction of the £870m QEUH campus in Glasgow, which includes the Royal Hospital for Children.

It was set up after a number of patient deaths, including that of 10-year-old cancer patient Milly Main.

Prof Dancer is a consultant microbiologist with NHS Lanarkshire and professor of microbiology at Edinburgh Napier University.

The inquiry heard that in February 2019 she was asked to take on locum shifts at the QEUH, where infection control was under a lot of pressure.

However, she said that after going through the appropriate checks and being assigned an office, she “suddenly” found her contract was terminated before it began.

In her statement, she said the type of micro-organisms being detected at the Queen Elizabeth campus were rare in UK hospitals.

She said that faced with these events she would have launched a major review, and put measures in place to improve water and air quality.

But she believed "disrespect, distrust and egotism" led to these measures not being adopted, despite some members of staff asking for them.

Earlier, Dr Alan Mathers, chief of medicine for Women and Children at NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, described “mystery” outbreaks of infection at the hospital campus.

He said there had been concerns about fungi as early as 2015, and that two years later this had turned into "concern about the rest of the environment".

The inquiry continues.