A ward at Glasgow’s flagship hospital has been partially closed following a new infection risk alert, raising fresh concerns about patient safety at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QEUH).
Several rooms within the adult bone marrow transplant unit, Ward 4B, have been sealed off and additional infection control measures introduced.
The 24-bed unit provides specialist bone marrow transplant services for adult patients and supports procedures at a national level.
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) confirmed that a number of rooms are currently closed but declined to comment on reports suggesting the alert followed the discovery of “mould and dirty water ingress”.
A spokesperson for the health board said: “Safety is actively managed every day and we continue to monitor performance including the use of approved equipment to ensure wards remain safe for our patients.
“This includes thorough testing of the water and ventilation to provide additional safety assurance, particularly for our vulnerable patients.
“A number of rooms on ward 4B are closed at the moment and are being managed in line with agreed recognised processes.”
They added that the rooms “do not have patients in them” and that they have been sealed off as a precaution, with “additional appropriate infection control measures taken to mitigate any potential risks to patients”.
“We are in communication with patients to ensure they are fully kept up to date.”
The QEUH campus, which opened in 2015, has been the subject of a long-running controversy over bacterial and fungal infections allegedly linked to environmental issues, particularly water and ventilation systems.
A public inquiry, announced in 2019, is examining whether hospital design and infrastructure problems contributed to infections and patient deaths.
Earlier this year, NHSGGC conceded in a closing submission that, on the balance of probabilities, some infections in a child cancer unit were linked to defects in the water supply system.
Last month, the board insisted the hospital campus was safe following a letter from families to Scotland’s First Minister expressing ongoing concerns.
Health Secretary Neil Gray subsequently announced the creation of a new independent oversight group aimed at restoring public confidence in the safety of the QEUH.
Alongside the public inquiry, Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) is investigating several deaths for potential links to the hospital environment.
The case of Molly Cuddihy, who died last August, has been referred to a specialist hospitals team within COPFS. The service is also examining the deaths of Andrew Slorance and Tony Dynes.
In four earlier cases, including that of Milly Main, 10, police reports have been submitted and prosecutors are considering whether to pursue corporate homicide proceedings.
The latest infection risk alert is likely to intensify scrutiny of the QEUH as investigations continue.