Sarwar calls for Swinney and Sturgeon to be investigated over QEUH

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar has called for John Swinney and Nicola Sturgeon to be investigated over failures at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow.

Sarwar said that complications at the hospital were "the biggest scandal in the history of the Scottish Parliament" and that he believed a "criminal act" had taken place.

He called for senior hospital figures and government ministers who were in post at the time of its opening to face investigation.

He said this should include the first minister and finance secretary at the time, who were Nicola Sturgeon and John Swinney respectively. Both Swinney and Sturgeon have been approached for comment.

Sarwar claimed both politicians were "part of the conspiracy that led to devastating consequences".

Sarwar told BBC Scotland News: "They have to be investigated and I think it is a criminal act."

He also called for the health secretary at the time - Shona Robison - to be among those investigated, along with various senior figures at the hospital.

The Scottish Conservatives also called for action, saying current health minister Neil Gray should make an urgent statement in parliament about the matter on Tuesday.

On Saturday it emerged NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde admitted issues with the hospital's water system had probably caused infections in child cancer patients there.

The health board had previously denied bacteria in the water was responsible for causing some infections which led to the deaths of patients.

However, in closing submissions to the Scottish Hospitals Inquiry, the health board said it was likely there was a "causal connection" between infections suffered by patients and "the hospital environment, in particular the water system".

The health board statement also said it had never attempted to conceal information from patients or their families, but that it would continue to "evolve its approach" regarding how it communicated with patients.

The probe was launched to examine mistakes made in the planning, design and construction of the campus following concerns about unusual infections and the deaths of four patients, including 10-year-old Milly Main.

Sarwar said there was a need to "get to the truth about who knew what and when, [and] who was part of that conspiracy which led to devastating consequences."

He said a focus on "ploughing ahead" with opening the hospital had resulted in infections, ignoring a report in 2015 suggesting water could be contaminated.

The Scottish Conservatives' health spokesman Dr Sandesh Gulhane said there should be "clarity and accountability on this huge and growing scandal".

He said: "After years of cover-up, denial and the undermining of whistleblowers, the eleventh-hour admission by NHS bosses of a link between the contaminated water and infections – just as the inquiry is concluding – is cynical and shameful.

"This scandal resulted in lives being lost. Grieving families deserve answers, so the health secretary must come clean on what ministers knew and when."

Speaking prior to Sarwar's remarks, the first minister said the inquiry had been set up by the Scottish government to establish the truth of what happened with the QEUH.

He said evidence revealed through the inquiry had a "significant effect" on uncovering the truth about the hospital, but that he did not want to prejudge the findings of the probe.

When asked about the closing statement at the weekend, a spokesperson for NHSGGC said: "We remain fully committed to supporting the inquiry in its investigations".