Families affected by a contaminated water and ventilation scandal at one of Britain’s biggest hospitals have accused Scotland’s first minister of not telling the truth after he claimed he apologised to them during a meeting this week.
In an interview with Laura Kuenssberg on the BBC, SNP leader John Swinney was asked whether he had apologised to families during a recent group call about Glasgow’s Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, which is possibly linked to patient deaths.
He replied: “Of course I did, yes.”
But families who took part in the meeting have told Sky News no apology was made at any point.
The £1bn hospital, one of Europe’s largest, is already at the centre of a long-running scandal over contaminated water and ventilation system issues.
Police and prosecutors in Scotland are currently examining the possibility of corporate homicide.
Relatives of both deceased and surviving patients met Mr Swinney and Scotland’s Health Secretary Neil Gray on Thursday to discuss ongoing concerns about patient safety and accountability linked to the hospital.
After the meeting, families said that despite the seriousness of the discussion, neither minister offered a formal apology.
In a joint response to Sky News, families said the meeting had been intended to give those affected the chance to seek transparency and acknowledgement of the hardship they have endured.
However, they said the absence of any apology was “a significant oversight” for families who have spent years campaigning for answers and justice.
They added: “This morning, the first minister said to Laura Kuenssberg that he offered the families an apology during this meeting. We can confirm that this simply never happened.”
Another widow told Sky News: “None of the many families whose children, spouses and parents were harmed or died at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital heard an apology.”
This comes days after Sky News revealed part of a high-risk cancer ward at the hospital was closed amid fresh risks, despite public reassurances that the hospital is safe.
Several rooms in the adult bone marrow transplant unit have been closed off at points in recent months, including in the past week.
The campus opened in 2015, days after a report warned of “high risks” with the water supply.
The Scottish Government has been approached for comment.
