Dr. Teresa Inkster, former lead infection control doctor for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, has revealed shocking evidence to the Scottish Hospitals Inquiry about the poor state of infection control measures employed at a new hospital in Glasgow that opened its doors in 2015. The construction and administration of the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QEUH) campus, which comprises the Royal Hospital for Children, has been subjected to harsh scrutiny following this revelation. This inquiry was initialized due to a number of patient deaths that have occurred, including that of a 10-year-old cancer patient, Milly Main.
During her tenure from April 2016 to September 2019, Dr. Inkster observed that there were significant issues regarding the condition of children’s cancer wards, leading to temporary closures on account of a surge in unusual infections. Furthermore, she conducted investigations into two instances of cryptococcus infections in 2019, which are associated with pigeon droppings and had resulted in the deaths of two patients.
Dr. Inkster provides stark testimony of her encounter with heavily compromised hospital premises, which included ceiling holes and dust falling from workmen drilling holes around dangerously immunosuppressed children. Management of water damage and ventilation systems were characterized as haphazard and not comprehensive. According to her, the leftover material after such operations created a conducive atmosphere for mould growth.
Although certain rooms were designated as isolation units for vulnerable patients, Dr. Inkster emphasizes that this level of attention should have been given to the entire ward, given the critical state of these young patients. Despite these concerns, she faced resistance when advocating for the water testing at the hospital in 2015 on the basis of contradiction with the Health Protection Scotland pseudomonas guidance. However, due to a discrepancy with the guidance from NHS England and Wales, she faced opposition. Nurses at the hospital reported incidents of ‘black muck’ surfacing from the drains after sink use, a problem that was exacerbated by the installment of filters in taps.
Dr. Inkster also accused her superior, Prof Craig Williams, of creating an oppressive environment, characterised by suppression and resulting in the resignation of Dr. Williams in April 2016. She confides that her genuine concerns for patient safety were dismissed, and both she and another Infection Control Doctor were labeled as difficult and risk-averse.
These revelations have left both healthcare professionals and the public deeply concerned, awaiting further investigations into patient cases, including three other patients testing positive for the dangerous cryptococcus infection. NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde continues to challenge the idea of a causal link between the infection and the hospital building’s state. The inquiry continues under the supervision of Lord Philip Brodie.
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