Members of a group established to enhance transparency at NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC), a health board facing scrutiny over deadly infections, have been required to sign a confidentiality agreement. This requirement has drawn criticism, with opponents arguing it contradicts the group's stated purpose.
The Safety and Public Confidence Oversight Group was formed in March by NHSGGC and the Scottish Government to address failings at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QEUH) campus. The £1 billion facility has been the subject of a public inquiry following numerous patient infections, primarily among children with cancer. The deaths of some patients, including ten-year-old Milly Main and 73-year-old Gail Armstrong, are currently being investigated by the Crown Office, with NHSGGC identified as a suspect in a corporate homicide investigation.
NHSGGC admitted in January that contaminated water at the QEUH likely caused infections in some child cancer patients, a link it had previously denied for over six years. Multiple issues with the hospital's water and ventilation systems have been identified since its opening 11 years ago.
Sources revealed that individuals participating in the new group, including relatives of deceased patients and whistleblower Dr. Christine Peters, have been presented with an agreement that includes a confidentiality clause. NHSGGC chief executive Jann Gardner and Professor John Cuddihy, whose daughter Molly died after contracting an infection while undergoing cancer treatment, have also reportedly received the document.
Critics contend that the confidentiality clause is antithetical to transparency, particularly as all information regarding the group's activities is being channeled through NHSGGC, an organization that has faced accusations of withholding information from patients, families, and the press. Jackie Baillie, Scottish Labour's health spokeswoman, stated that this development suggests a persistent "culture of secrecy and cover-up" within NHSGGC. She emphasized that transparency should be fundamental if lessons are to be learned from past events and that minutes of all meetings should be published to ensure public trust.
First Minister John Swinney had previously described the group as an effort to "build confidence and trust in the operation of the hospital." He noted in March that the inclusion of family representatives was his request to ensure openness. Following its first meeting on March 11, NHSGGC announced that the group's formation signified a "new era in patient safety and transparency." However, only the minutes of one of the three meetings held so far have been published.
Miles Briggs MSP, Scottish Conservative health spokesman, expressed concern, stating that members being compelled to sign a "gagging order" should raise alarm bells. He suggested that the SNP has attempted to conceal concerns about the safety of Scotland's largest hospital and that this revelation would worry patients and staff. Briggs called for full transparency and immediate action to ensure patient safety and accountability, fearing more "spin and secrecy" from the SNP.
After being contacted by the Daily Mail regarding the missing minutes, NHSGGC published additional documents online. The health board stated that all minutes are approved at the group's meetings and then presented at NHSGGC Board meetings, with publication occurring the day after the board meeting. NHSGGC also commented that the confidentiality clause is a "fairly standard board committee code of conduct" and that it "doesn’t require to be signed."
