Pressure to open a flagship hospital at the centre of an infections inquiry “came from within” the health board, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (GGC) has said.
In a statement issued on Saturday evening, NHSGGC said the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QEUH) in Glasgow was a public sector capital project, and as such the board’s “objective” would been to deliver it on time and on budget.
It said the health board’s then-chief executive Robert Calderwood would have “sought updates” on the hospital’s progress on that basis.
The clarification refers to comments in the health board’s closing submissions to the Scottish Hospitals Inquiry last week, that “pressure” was applied to ensure the facility was opened on time in 2015.
The comment triggered speculation as to the source of the pressure, with the Scottish Government – and former first minister Nicola Sturgeon – coming under fire, with opposition figures claiming the push would have come from ministers.
On Friday, Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay also urged NHSGGC chief Professor Jann Gardner to say who the accusations referred to.
In its statement the health board said the comment in its closing submissions had been made “in general terms only”.
It said: “The comment made regarding pressure to open was made in general terms only based on the generality of the evidence that indicated that there were pressures to open ‘on time and on budget’ from within NHSGGC with the chief executive at the time confirming that he would have sought updates on that basis.
“Evidence was heard regarding a lack of estates and facilities staff, resources at that time with associated challenges for this extremely complex project.
“As a result, there is a general submission made regarding the pressure to open which should be assumed came from within NHSGGC.”
The note added that in his evidence during the inquiry Mr Calderwood stated he had not been aware of “water issues” or the DMA Canyon (water) report until 2021.
It went on: “By implication, he therefore could not have made anyone else (internal or external) aware of those issues.
“As such, it would not have been a factor for consideration at the point the project proceeded to open.”
The statement also said the health board’s admission that QEUH had been opened too early was retrospective, and was based on “information we now have available”.
The inquiry has been examining the design and construction of the QEUH and the Royal Hospital for Children (RHC), which are on the same campus.