A SCOTTISH Labour motion saying the Scottish Parliament has “no confidence in the leadership of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde” has been rejected by MSPs.
It comes after bereaved families of patients who died raised concerns about water-borne infections at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QEUH).
Instead, MSPs backed a Scottish Government amendment welcoming the review of aspergillus infections at the hospital and calling for any recommendations to be implemented as soon as possible.
The government amendment was supported by 64 votes to 54.
READ MORE: 'Untold distress' caused by MSPs' criticism of Scots hospital staff, doctors say
Opening the debate, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar paid tribute to the frontline QEUH staff, saying: “I have every confidence in you and know that you’re working day and night to do your best for your patients.
“I have no confidence in the leadership of your health board.
“You deserve a leadership that doesn’t try to silence you, that doesn’t try to bully you and – perhaps most of all, as we have seen this week – you deserve a management that doesn’t disgracefully attempt to spread the blame to staff.
“I know they’re letting you down, and this fight is as much for you as it is for the patients and families.”
Public health minister Maree Todd said: “Various claims have been levelled against the health board and throughout we have worked to ensure that these are investigated and, where necessary, acted upon.”
She suggested 98% of recommendations from a recent review of the health board had been completed and added: “Our NHS staff are working incredibly hard, and we will continue to do all we can to support them to provide the best care possible for the people of Scotland.”
Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross called for another inquiry into the Scottish Government’s response to “avoidable deaths” at the hospital.
He said: “The health board has utterly failed in its duties, and it’s right that they are removed as part of the systemic changing of culture across NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde towards honesty and transparency.
“The SNP government ministers must also restore confidence that they are doing everything they can to treat the scandal of avoidable deaths with the urgency it deserves.”
READ MORE: Labour demand Nicola Sturgeon sacks Scots health board's leadership
Scottish LibDem leader Alex Cole-Hamilton said it was "dismaying" that First Minister Nicola Sturgeon had failed to attend the debate.
He added: "The problems at QEUH have only emerged one by one in the years after it opened and they emerged because they were allowed to have a catastrophic impact on patient health.
“The failures in standards are shameful. The fact that such failures have led to loss of life is unforgivable.”
Concluding the debate, Health Secretary Humza Yousaf said: “I really do take exception to this line about ‘whose side are you on?’.
“Because each and every one of my backbench colleagues or my colleagues in government – and of course they include myself in this – I suspect we are all on the same side.
“The same side as Douglas Ross, same side as Anas Sarwar. The same side as Alex Cole-Hamilton.
“Each and every single one of us wants the best, most safe patient experience for members of the public.”
Another Scottish Labour motion calling for more active ventilation in schools was also defeated.
MSPs instead backed a government amendment saying local authorities were required to work with schools to ensure good ventilation and access to CO2 monitoring.
This was supported by 65 votes to 54.
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