Scottish Parliament – Jan. 28, 2026 – 52

S6M-20561.2: As an amendment to motion S6M-20561 in the name of Anas Sarwar (The Role of Political Decision Making in NHS Scandals), insert at end “;

notes with concern the impact on patients, staff and others resulting from the ongoing questions about the safety of the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital;

calls on the Scottish Government to provide clear and explicit guarantees to the public that any issues raised by patients, families and whistleblowers are listened to and fully investigated;

believes that the repeated lack of candour by both NHS boards and the Scottish Government in respect of the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital and other scandals is unacceptable;

further believes that this lack of openness has placed a greater burden on patients, families and NHS staff and contributed to a growing loss of public trust, and calls, therefore, on Nicola Sturgeon to request to make a personal statement, with questions and answers, to the Scottish Parliament, given her role as Cabinet Secretary for Health and First Minister during the construction and opening of the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital.”

Original motion(S6M-20561): That the Parliament condemns the culture of secrecy and cover-up that has hidden the truth from patients, families and campaigners and denied them justice in many NHS scandals in Scotland in recent years;

recognises that, as the Scottish Hospitals Inquiry draws to a close, many serious questions remain regarding the decision-making process and the role of the Scottish Government;

considers that political decision making should be considered by the inquiry, and calls for the Scottish Ministers to authorise the immediate full disclosure and preservation of all communications connected to the contaminated water and inadequate ventilation system and the premature opening of the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, as well as any subsequent communications relating to the handling of the infection and its cover-up.