Labour leader Anas Sarwar, Health Board CEO Jane Grant and retiring chairman John Brown.
By Bill Heaney
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar was welcomed the news that outgoing chair of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde John Brown will not continue as a government advisor on good governance.
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde recently became the first public body in Scottish history to be named a suspect in a corporate homicide case following the deaths at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital.
Despite this unprecedented investigation, Humza Yousaf last week refused to confirm whether the scandal-hit health board’s outgoing Chair John Brown would be kept on as a government advisor on “good governance”.
However, in response to a letter from Anas Sarwar the First Minister confirmed that Mr Brown will not have a role in the new Governance Advisory Board.
The Scottish Labour leader welcomed this news, but said it is not enough given the current Chief Executive of the Health Board, Jane Grant, has been in post throughout the scandal.
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar said :“ It is a gross insult to the families bereaved in the Queen Elizabeth University Scandal that the Health Board’s chair has been advising the Scottish Government on ‘good governance’ and I welcome the news that this will no longer be the case.
“Removing John Brown from his advisory role is a step in the right direction but it is not nearly enough – the board’s entire leadership needs to go.
“The Chief Executive of this health board – Jane Grant – has been in post since before Milly died. During that time she has been paid over £1 million.
“She has led an organisation that is now being investigated for corporate homicide, has gaslit grieving families, shut down and bullied NHS staff and called into question the results of an independent review that exposed fatal infections in children.