The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) has confirmed it is investigating the deaths of seven patients at Glasgow's flagship Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QEUH), amid explosive claims from Scottish Labour that "political pressure" forced the facility to open before it was ready.
Expanding Investigation into Tragic Losses
Prosecutors announced on Saturday that the cases of 23-year-old Molly Cuddihy and former Scottish government civil servant Andrew Slorance are now among those being examined. This brings the total number of deaths under formal investigation to seven. The COPFS has pledged to keep the families of all those affected fully informed as the inquiries progress.
The revelation that two additional deaths are being scrutinised follows Scottish Labour's publication of what it describes as "damning evidence" suggesting political interference in the hospital's opening timeline. The party claims minutes from meetings between Glasgow health board officials and the Scottish government show undue pressure was applied to open the new campus in April 2015, just before that year's general election.
Heartbreaking Cases and Contaminated Systems
Molly Cuddihy, who was diagnosed with a rare bone cancer at fifteen, received treatment at both the Royal Hospital for Children and the adjacent QEUH. She passed away last August, with medical evidence suggesting her organs were irreparably weakened by the powerful drugs required to combat infections as well as her cancer treatment.
A devastating public inquiry into the hospital complex, which reached its final stages last month, heard shocking admissions from the health board. Officials acknowledged that serious infections in eighty-four child cancer patients were probably caused by the hospital's contaminated water system. Tragically, two of these children died as a result.
The COPFS had previously confirmed investigations were underway into four other deaths, including that of ten-year-old Milly Main who died in 2017, two other children, and 73-year-old Gail Armstrong. Armstrong was being treated for an aggressive form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma in 2019 when she contracted a fungal infection commonly associated with pigeon droppings.
In a further development, prosecutors revealed they have received a report concerning the 2021 death of 65-year-old Anthony Dynes, who was also receiving treatment at QEUH for non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
Health Board Apology and Ongoing Concerns
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde has issued what it describes as a "sincere and unreserved apology" to all those affected by these tragic events. The health board insists it is now "a very different organisation" than the one involved in the hospital's design and construction approximately a decade ago.
However, during the inquiry's final days, three senior microbiologists who first raised alarms about infection control problems expressed "significant concerns" about whether necessary changes have been properly implemented by senior management. Their testimony suggests fundamental issues may persist despite the board's assurances.
Political Allegations and Parliamentary Confrontation
At First Minister's Questions last Thursday, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar presented what he called compelling evidence of political interference. Sarwar told MSPs that minutes from key meetings demonstrate "political pressure" was deliberately applied to open the new hospital prematurely.
"That decision to open the hospital early has resulted in a decade of lies, deceit and cover-up," Sarwar declared passionately. "Bullying and gaslighting of staff, families being lied to and denied the truth, and infections that led to the deaths of children and possibly adults too – all because politics was put before patient safety."
Both current First Minister John Swinney and former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon have previously denied any political pressure influenced the hospital's opening schedule. The Scottish government maintains that all decisions regarding the facility were made with patient safety as the paramount consideration.
As prosecutors continue their sensitive investigations and families await answers, the controversy surrounding Scotland's largest hospital complex shows no signs of abating. The intersection of healthcare failures, political accountability, and profound human tragedy continues to demand rigorous scrutiny and transparent resolution.
