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The health secretary has told MSPs two independent experts have been appointed to oversee a team reviewing cases of infection at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital.

Jeane Freeman said Professor Mike Stevens of the University of Bristol and Gaynor Evans, NHS Improvement England’s Clinical lead for the Gram-negative Bloodstream Infection Programme, will be supported by Health Protection Scotland.

The review will examine all recorded Gram-negative bloodstream infections in children receiving haemato-oncology treatment from the opening of the Royal Hospital for Children until now.

It is being led by Professor Marion Bain who was appointed by the cabinet secretary in December to take over responsibility for infection and control at NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde.

The team will find out whether these children were put at risk because of the physical environment in which they were cared for and whether the infection prevention and control processes were effective in relation to the risk identified.

Here's the ministerial statement in full: Queen Elizabeth University Hospital Update, external.

Labour MSP Anas Sarwar says: "The cabinet secretary says 'if' there is a cover up. There is no if about it."

"The health board leadership has lost the trust of patients, parents and the public."

Mr Sarwar says there are statements still being issued by the health board that are simply untrue and are deliberately misleading.

"Managers are more interested in saving their skin than doing the right thing."

How many last chances do they need, he asks, and he asks what will it take for the minister to lose confidence in the management of the health board.

Ms Freeman says the allegations that statements from the board have been untrue is specifically being looked at today by Professor Bain.

The minister says she has made it clear to the board that this is the final chance to respond appropriately.

They either respond or it goes to the next stage, she explains.

We will see if they do that, but we will not lie for long to be assured of that, she says.

Lib Dem MSP Alex Cole-Hamilton raises the post of turnaround director, wondering what qualities were looked for, how long it will last and how we can be confidence the health board will not slide back once they leave office.

Ms Freeman says Calum Campbell has taken up the role of turnaround director.

He is focused on improving the delivery of scheduled and unscheduled care, including out-of-hours, she says.

The health board's performance is not what we require it to be, hence the need for a turnaround director who will report directly to government she adds.

The health secretary says he began in this position on Monday, but further assessment is needed before she is able to say how long he will be in post to ensure improvements are sustainable.

Green MSP Alison Johnstone says the cabinet secretary has said the paediatric trigger tool, when activated, will also help assess wider quality of care and calls on her to elaborate on this.

Ms Johnstone also asks about widespread ongoing communication about the review.

The minister replies Professor White will largely lead the efforts to ensure the communication is made on an ongoing basis.

She says when the trigger tool is used it will inform what happens with the care, but none of it is to put a question mark on what the clinicians have been doing.

The health secretary explains it is to help look at wider healthcare implications.

Labour MSP Monica Lennon says it remains a worrying time for many families and patients.

She welcomes many of the actions outlined, but she highlights concerns about cover-ups since the hospital opened.

No one has been asked to leave the health board and that seems quite incredible, she says.

Does the health secretary have confidence in the leadership team, including the chief executive, the Labour MPS asks.

Ms Freeman accepts it has been an unnecessarily worrying time for patients and staff.

The health board is at level 4 and I have not ruled out level 5, she adds.

However she insists the board should be given the opportunity to work under government direction to improve its processes.

"I'm giving Greater Glasgow and Clyde one final chance to response appropriately."

Tory MSP Miles Briggs asks if the the cabinet secretary has asked Prof McQueen to make individual contact with these families.

Mr Briggs asks why it has taken to this point for the cabinet secretary to act, given concerns about other hospitals under the health board's control.

The representatives of families are being talked through the twin approach of the review of cases, Ms Freeman replies.

The minister explains that information will be shared with all families and they will then be asked individually how they want to be involved with this.

At the very least they will have a face to face talk with one of the clinical review team, but they want more involvement, she says.

The health secretary insists the government has acted appropriately at the right time in terms of infection prevention and control.

However NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde has not reacted as she expected it to, hence the escalation she adds.

Ms Freeman says Professor Marion Bain is now in post and leading the case review described.

The oversight board will receive a report on work by Easter recess, she adds.

We will ensure families are involved in preparations to reopen wards 2A and 2B she says.

The health secretary turns to the public inquiry, confirming the remit is now "at an advanced stage of drafting".

The remit and terms of reference will be shared with families in February and I will meet with party spokespeople thereafter, she confirms.

Ms Freeman says the review team believe there is likely to be around 80 cases to be reviewed overall.

There will be discussions with parents about this and Professor White will have discussions with them too.

Each family involved will receive an individual face to face report with one of the reviewing clinicians, Ms Freeman tells the chamber.

The work of the review team will be scrutinised by experts from out of Scotland, she says.

She says wards 2A and 2B of the Royal Hospital for Children on the QEUH campus are being refurbished and the work should be completed in the summer of this year.

Ms Freeman says she has made it a priority to ensure families with children in hospital get their questions answered.

The case reviews will utilise two methodologies she says:

• an epidemiological review which will look at the frequency and distribution of infections
• a paediatric trigger tool review will help clinicians understand the effect infections had on children and assess wider quality of care

The health secretary confirms the first reviews will concentrate on patients who received care in 2017 with the results expected in February.

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Health Secretary Jeane Freeman says the people served by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde deserve to have confidence their health board is improving its performance.

Ms Freeman says the families of the children treated at the QEUH complex deserve to have their questions answered.

She explains that is why she escalated the health board to level 4 for all aspects of its performance, including bringing in a performance turnaround director.

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Special measures imposed on NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde by the Scottish government have been escalated amid ongoing concern over its performance.

The health board has faced criticism over its infection control procedures after the deaths of two children at the city's largest hospital complex.

It was partly placed in Stage 4 special measures in November.

Health Secretary Jeane Freeman has now extended these measures to cover the entire health board.

Ms Freeman and the health board both apologised in November to the parents of two young patients who died in 2017 in the Royal Hospital for Children, which is part of the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QEUH) campus.

• Read more here
• The five-step process to keep Scotland's NHS boards in line
• Mother of hospital death boy: 'I've been ignored'
• Health secretary issues apology over child deaths
• Expert to head up infection control at Glasgow's QEU hospital
• Glasgow health board to take legal action over hospital contractor

Health Secretary Jeane Freeman will now deliver a ministerial statement with an update on the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital Oversight Board.

External Affairs Secretary Fiona Hyslop says the current immigration system is not meeting the needs of Scotland and points to examples of regional migration schemes elsewhere, including in Canada.

A Scottish visa scheme would help to create a tailored migration scheme to attract the people Scotland needs, she adds.

Tory MSP Donald Cameron says the Scottish government's white paper on independence backed a points-based system on immigration.

The cabinet secretary directs the member toward the paper published yesterday and she says the Migration Advisory Committee proposals published today do not contradict what Scotland is proposing.

Labour MSP Claire Baker welcomes the report and expresses disappointment in the response to it from the UK government. She asks how the parliament can feed into shaping the policy.

Ms Hyslop says she is keen for cross-party engagement on this issue. She says the UK government response yesterday was "regrettable" and "knee-jerk" and she highlights the proposals made are to sit within a UK-wide system of immigration.

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Nicola Sturgeon has called for powers to be devolved to Holyrood to set up a "Scottish visa" system designed to help boost immigration.

The first minister wants a "tailored" approach aimed at bringing people in to offset Scotland's ageing population.

However powers over immigration are currently reserved to Westminster.

The UK government has set out some of its plans for post-Brexit migration policy, promisingfast-track entry for leading scientists and researchers.

Freedom of movement between the UK and the EU is expected to end after the Brexit transition period on 31 December, with UK ministers aiming to introduce a new points-based system thereafter.

• How could a UK points-based immigration system work?
• What is Scotland's attitude to immigration?
• Read more here

SNP MSP Stewart Stevenson asks how a new Scottish visa could address depopulation and skills shortages.

Lib Dem MSP Alex Cole-Hamilton expresses concern about Scottish citizens unable to leave the Wuhan province.

Ms Freeman replies she understands the UK is making arrangements today to send a plane to the province and those citizens who want to come home will be able to do so, she says.

There will be health team on the plane, she says.

The health secretary says she has asked the Foreign and Commonwealth Office for details of Scottish domiciled individuals who will board that plane.

She is confident that they will reply soon to allow arrangements to be made for them.

Tory MSP Miles Briggs says there will have been a lot of movement of Chinese students due to Chinese New Year.

What conversations are taking place with universities about this and about UK-level advice around a period of self-isolation, he asks.

The health secretary says the advice is if a person has returned from the province in China, they should seek medical help to determine whether or not a coronavirus test is undertaken.

Universities are also considering what further guidance and support they can offer to students, including whether self-isolation is needed, after arriving back in the UK she adds.

Ms Freeman says there is nothing specific in terms of guidance for the general population at this time.

The health secretary explains scientists are working on whether there is a need for more preparations.

"Where you have a respiratory infection you should present yourself to your GP in normal course," she says.

The health secretary urges anyone eligible for a flu vaccination to get one.

Mr Johnson asks about the possibility of increased risk of the virus as Edinburgh enjoys large numbers of international visitors and students.

Ms Freeman says additional guidance is being worked through with Universities Scotland, Colleges Scotland and local authorities.

People arriving on flights from China are encouraged to seek medical help should any symptoms surface hence the tests going ahead but no positive results have resulted, she adds.

Health Secretary Jeane Freeman says it is important to note that to date there are no positive cases identified in the UK and the risk remains low.

Ms Freeman highlights the following actions by the Scottish government:

• activated health resilience team and dedicated response unit
• Scotland's chief medical officer is in contact with rUK CMOs
• daily calls between her officials and rest of the UK
• a Cobra call on Friday to ensure an agreed coordinated response across the UK