Former top nurse urged to appear before MSPs
Tory health spokesman Sandesh Gulhane urged Holyrood’s Criminal Justice Committee to call Fiona McQueen.
Scotland’s former top nurse has been urged to appear in front of MSPs following allegations she offered a bereaved family money.
Fiona McQueen served as chief nursing officer between 2015 and 2021 and has been accused of offering the family of Sophia Smith – who died at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QEUH) in Glasgow at just 12 days old in 2017 – £20,000 and a holiday.
The allegations were made by Sophia’s parents Theresa and Matthew to the Scottish Mail on Sunday and were raised by Scottish Labour deputy leader Jackie Baillie at Holyrood on Tuesday.
In a statement to the Press Association, a spokesperson for Ms McQueen – who now serves as the chair of the Scottish Police Authority – said she “strongly refutes” the allegations.
But Scottish Tory MSP Dr Sandesh Gulhane has pushed for the former chief nurse to appear before Holyrood’s Justice Committee.
“(Ms McQueen) must answer questions on these alleged repulsive and crass comments,” he said.
“If she was this heartless over the death of a baby, how can we trust her to be chair of the Scottish Police Authority, or hold any senior role in public life?”
Dr Gulhane added: “Has the Cabinet Secretary spoken to her about this and does he agree with me that she should appear in front of the Justice Committee?”
Responding, Health Secretary Neil Gray said it was for the committee to call witnesses, not him, as he continued to bat away questions, claiming answering in Parliament would prejudice the ongoing Scottish Hospitals Inquiry which is looking at construction and maintenance issues at the QEUH.
A spokesperson for Ms McQueen said: “Fiona strongly refutes any suggestions that she offered the Smiths money or a holiday.
“Her interactions with Mr and Mrs Smith were reviewed as part of Sophia’s Fatal Accident Inquiry and are on the public record.”
The Fatal Accident Inquiry (FAI) into Sophia’s death found that the infection which had a “material” impact on her death – Staphylococcus – was not contracted at the hospital.
But an email submitted to the FAI showed Mrs Smith expressing her “shock and surprise that during a telephone conversation, Ms McQueen raised the question of litigation and compensation for Sophia’s death”.
While the document does not delve further into what was offered, the newspaper report suggests £20,000 and a holiday was offered, with the Smiths being told the figure was likely the most that they could expect should they sue the health board.
The FAI determination adds that an “unreserved apology” was received by email from Ms McQueen when the Smiths complained about the call, with the Mail on Sunday reporting Ms McQueen had admitted she “strayed into an area that was inappropriate for you”.
The accusations came after one of the key whistleblowers in the QEUH scandal – Dr Christine Peters – suggested Ms McQueen had “not just offered the families 50 grand” to another bereaved family in 2019.
Ms McQueen later told the inquiry she did not remember making such an offer.
