Milly's Law pledged after hospital accepts link to infections

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar pledged to establish Milly's Law after NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde said some patient infections were likely linked to the hospital environment; the Scottish Hospitals Inquiry has published closing submissions ahead of final oral hearings.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde has said it accepts that some patient infections were causally connected to the hospital environment, with particular reference to the water system. The statement came in closing submissions to the Scottish Hospitals Inquiry. That inquiry is examining the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital and the Royal Hospital for Children on the same campus in Glasgow. Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar has responded by pledging to establish Milly's Law and by calling for further investigation. What is known: - NHSGGC stated, on the balance of probabilities, that a material proportion of additional bloodstream infections in paediatric haemato-oncology patients between 2016 and 2018 had a connection to the state of the hospital water system. - The board said it departs from earlier submissions after hearing expert evidence. - Closing submissions were published ahead of the inquiry's final oral hearings. - Anas Sarwar has vowed to create Milly's Law and has urged expansion of a corporate homicide investigation, as reported. Summary: The board's revised position about the hospital environment and infections has prompted political responses and calls for further review. The Scottish Hospitals Inquiry's final oral hearings are the next scheduled procedural step.