Cost of public inquiry into scandal-hit QEUH tops £20m amid Labour truth warning

SUNDAY MAIL EXCLUSIVE: More than £6m of taxpayers' cash has been spent on lawyers for the inquiry.

Labour has warned a public inquiry investigating a super hospital infections scandal cannot be blocked from finding out the truth as the cost tops £20million.

Fees for the Scottish ­Hospitals Inquiry – examining problems at the Queen Elizabeth ­University Hospital (QEUH) in Glasgow – include about £6million of taxpayer cash paid to lawyers.

Scottish Labour health spokeswoman Jackie Baillie said: “It is essential to get to the bottom of the problems at QEUH as swiftly and efficiently as possible.

“While an inquiry inevitably costs money, it should not be used to create obstacles in the quest to get to the truth.

“I urge all involved to ensure it can shed light so NHS ­Scotland and the SNP government can learn from the mistakes made.”

The site, including the Royal Hospital for ­Children, was hailed as world leading when it opened. But ­infection outbreaks and concerns over water and ventilation systems emerged and a number of patients died, including Milly Main, aged 10.

Freedom of Information requests show the Scottish Government spent £756,958 on legal fees from 2020 to June this year and around £1.2million on staff for the inquiry.

NHS National Services ­Scotland – which runs the Central Legal Office – spent £1.3million on lawyers and a further £110,000 on paying staff to respond to inquiry questions.

The inquiry itself has spent £10.4million on staff, including chair Lord Philip Brodie, who has been paid £614,400 as of July.

Lawyers and specialists have cost £2.5million and lawyers for witnesses have cost £1.5million.

A further £4.7million on running costs adds up to £19.25milliion.

Added to costs incurred by the government and NHS NSS, the total so far is around £22.5million, with the inquiry due to run for two more years.

Meanwhile documents published last week show NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde’s own staff raised concerns the public were being incorrectly told the QEUH campus was safe.

Dr Teresa Inkster – former lead infection control doctor at QEUH – and senior microbiologist Dr Christine Peters claimed reassurances on safety weren’t accurate in 2019 and 2020.

The health board had revealed the death of two patients who were infected with cryptococcus – bacteria linked to bird droppings. Several wards had ventilation systems renovated and water filters put on taps. Other wards were shut to bring them up to safety standards.

The documents detail more than 30 concerns raised by the infection experts about information provided to patients, families and the media.

They include a statement that a plant room, now known to have been heavily contaminated with bird poo, was “ruled out” as the source of two patients’ infections from cryptococcus.

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