Review into patient death at Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow

The Queen Elizabeth University Hospital brought together four hospitals on the one site

An investigation is under way after an elderly man died on a trolley at Scotland's new £842m hospital following a six-hour wait for treatment.

The Daily Record said the patient suffered cardiac arrest in a corridor at the Immediate Assessment Unit of the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (GGC) said a review of the patient's treatment was being carried out.

It said the assessment unit had been "under pressure" when the man attended.

Patients who arrive at the hospital under referral from a doctor are first seen at the Immediate Assessment Unit (IAU). Those arriving without a referral are seen at Accident and Emergency (A&E).

A statement from NHS GGC said the man "sadly passed away in the early hours of Tuesday morning" after receiving "an initial assessment by a member of nursing staff on arrival at the IAU".

'Full review'

"A senior member of our clinical management team has been in direct contact with the family to confirm that a full review of the patients treatment is being carried out and that the outcome will be shared with them when concluded."

The health board said the IAU "was fully staffed" at the time of but was "under extra pressure as a result of a higher than average number of patients attending".

The situation, it said, led to "patients waiting longer than usual to be admitted".

NHS GGC denied newspaper reports of patients being given blood transfusions in the corridor amid chaotic scenes.

Its statement concluded: "Whilst the unit was busy we can give you an assurance that there were no blood transfusions taking place in either the corridor or waiting areas.

"Our staff worked extremely hard to ensure patients attending the hospital were assessed, investigated, diagnosed, treated and admitted to a bed or discharged as quickly as possible and we apologise to those patients who had a long wait."

Health Secretary Shona Robison said she had been in touch with the health board about the case and would be kept "closely informed of all progress" from the review into the patient's care.

She added: "The outcome of the review will be used to learn lessons and to make any appropriate changes that are recommended.

"We have been assured by the health board that they will take any immediate actions required."

Previous problems

The massive hospital has experienced problems with patient waiting times since it opened in April.

The following month, there were reports of chaotic scenes as staff struggled to cope with patient admissions.

In June, it was confirmed that government trouble-shooters were being sent in to help improve accident and emergency (A&E) waiting times after figures showed it was the worst in Scotland.

Despite progress, figures showed last month that the hospital was still failing to meet a government target of processing 95% of patients within four hours.

The 1,109-bed Queen Elizabeth University Hospital sits alongside the 256-bed Royal Hospital for Sick Children on the site of the old Southern General Hospital.

The new campus replaced the Royal Hospital for Sick Kids at Yorkhill, the Southern General Hospital, Western and Victoria Infirmaries and Mansionhouse Unit.