MOULD was found on shower trays, plug holes and shower curtains in a state-of-the-art brain unit which inspectors say is too run down in places to be cleaned properly.

An unannounced inspection at Glasgow’s Queen Elizabeth University Hospital campus in November last year uncovered “significant dust” on portable patient equipment in the site’s Institute of Neurological Sciences.

Inspectors also discovered “sticky residue” on monitoring devices; dust and grime on floors; multiple pieces of equipment, patient clothing and staff belonging in store cupboards; and mould on shower trays, plug holes and shower curtains.

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The report by Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS) said inspectors were told by staff that many of the repairs recommended following a previous spot check in January 2019 were still outstanding.

It added: “Some significant repairs within the domestic services rooms had taken place, however the fabric of the building remains in a poor state. This makes it difficult to effectively clean.”

Inspectors escalated their concerns to senior management and said there was an improvement in cleanliness by the following day.

The Institute of Neurological Sciences admits patients from all over the west of Scotland. It recently underwent a major upgrade to incorporate a new ward, four additional theatres, intensive care and high-dependency units, and a new out-patient department.

However, inspectors found “multiple” issues with the building, including water ingress on ceiling tiles which was “widespread throughout the institute”, extensive damage to walls and shower trays, broken PVC sealant on showers, sinks and toilets, and exposed pipework in staff areas.

The report adds: “We saw many outstanding jobs on the estates system with multiple reporting of similar issues.

“Staff told us that they did not feel that jobs were being completed in a reasonable timeframe, they described having to re-report jobs, and this was leading to confusion and delays.”

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHS GGC) has been under pressure after a string of infection scandals at the flagship QEUH and its adjacent children’s hospital, which both opened in 2015.

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Inspectors said there had been a number of changes at the QEUH and Royal Hospital for Children (RHC) since their previous visit in January 2019, which had resulted in HIS issuing 14 required improvements and one recommendation.

HIS welcomed the installation of negative pressure rooms, additional training and recruitment for domestic staff, removal of bladeless fans in high-risk areas, improvements to the cleaning schedule management and regular cleaning of ventilation panels.

Ian Smith, head of quality of care at HIS, said: “The standard of cleaning has improved in the emergency department and initial assessment unit at QEUH.

“We also saw good staff compliance with standard infection control precautions, including the RHC."

He added: "Within the Institute of Neurosciences, some significant repairs had taken place since our last inspection.

"However, the fabric of the building remains in a poor state, making it difficult to effectively clean.

"In addition to actions taken at the time of our visit, NHS GGC has developed an improvement action plan to address our requirements following this inspection of the Institute of Neurosciences."

It comes day after the health board referred the death in 2017 of 10-year-old leukaemia patient Milly Main to the Crown Office.

She was recovering from a successful stem cell transplant in the RHC when she contracted a bacterial infection which led to sepsis and organ failure.

The Crown Office is already investigating the deaths of two cancer patients, aged 10 and 73, who contracted fungal infections linked to pigeon droppings during treatment at the QEUH.

Professor Marion Bain, NHS GGC’s director of infection prevention and control, thanked staff for their hard work, adding: “Prevention and control of infection remains a top priority for NHS GGC.

"The latest inspection demonstrates the QEUH and the RHC are meeting national requirements in relation to infection control and cleanliness standards."