A senior physician who raised considerations after a lethal microbe was present in a superhospital’s air earlier than it even opened was requested if she actually ‘wished to finish’ her profession, an inquiry has heard.
Dr Penelope Redding made a collection of startling claims on the Scottish Hospitals Inquiry saying microbiologists on the beleaguered Queen Elizabeth College Hospital have been warned their careers could be destroyed whereas bosses urged workers to not blow the whistle relating to considerations about its security.
She additionally stated there had been a tradition of worry and bullying and that NHS Higher Glasgow and Clyde chief government Jane Grant tried to cease her whistleblowing.
The 73-year-old was a advisor microbiologist concerned within the preliminary planning for the brand new hospital and one among quite a lot of senior medical doctors who raised an infection management considerations on the facility.
In a stunning witness assertion to the inquiry, she revealed that earlier than it even opened in 2015 considerations had been raised about air flow and different points.
Dr Penelope Redding made a collection of alarming claims on the Scottish Hospitals Inquiry
Dr Redding, who’s now retired, stated: ‘The outcomes of the air sampling that had been accomplished within the new hospital as a part of the commissioning course of have been giving rise to considerations.
‘The microbiologists had found that, in the course of the air sampling course of, there have been solely three air modifications per hour versus the six air modifications which have been required in response to the requirements.
‘That they had additionally remoted micro-organisms, together with Mucor within the paediatric haematology/oncology ward.’
The now retired physician stated regardless of these being reported by way of the right channels, there was a ‘common concern that they weren’t being listened to’.
The inquiry was informed that she reported considerations to the then director of diagnostics, Aileen McLennan, as that was the reporting line in place at the moment.
However, her written proof stated: ‘Her response to me was to ask if I actually “wished to finish my profession like this”.’
The inquiry is investigating whether or not infections in sufferers on the £840 million Queen Elizabeth College Hospital in Glasgow are linked to issues in its building, air flow and water provide
Ms McLennan ought to have reported it additional, Dr Redding stated, however as a result of she had ‘misplaced religion within the system’ she took the considerations additional herself.
She stated she had mentioned the air flow issues, highlighting the air modifications and Mucor which she had been warned had a ‘mortality fee of as much as 85 per cent in youngsters’.
However her considerations have been dismissed, with the mortality determine challenged, and informed the air flow considerations have been merely her opinion despite the fact that she was not the one microbiologist with considerations.
The probe in Edinburgh, chaired by Lord Brodie, is investigating whether or not infections in sufferers on the £840 million campus are linked to issues in its building, air flow and water provide.
The inquiry was arrange after quite a lot of deaths together with that of Milly Primary, a 10-year-old most cancers affected person.
Dr Redding stated there was a ‘profound tradition of worry and bullying through which individuals have been petrified of talking up’ and administration informed individuals ‘to not put issues in writing’.
The retired physician gave an instance saying that when microbiology trainees produced a doc detailing considerations after being urged by her to write down them down, a gathering was held and she or he heard a senior medic say he was ‘going to “destroy their careers”’.
Dr Redding was quite a lot of senior medical doctors who raised an infection management considerations on the hospital, and was informed how the board’s chief government Jane Grant pleaded along with her to not blow the whistle on her considerations.
She informed the inquiry: ‘I recall her particularly saying to me that she “urged” me to not do it.’
When she insisted she would, she informed the inquiry, she was known as by a non-executive director who spent 45 minutes making an attempt to speak her out of it and ‘repeatedly requested me “what can we do” to cease me doing it’.
Dr Redding informed the inquiry: ‘The tradition and notion inside [the health board] on the time was {that a} whistleblower ought to be seen as a troublemaker who was to be criticised for elevating considerations and inflicting stress to sufferers and kin.’
The inquiry continues.
