Glasgow children's ward closed to new admission

Improvement work is being carried out at the Royal Hospital for Children

A ward has been closed to new admissions at Glasgow's Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QEUH) after three young patients contracted infections.

Children had been moved there from the neighbouring Royal Hospital for Children.

Work is being carried on its water supply and air quality systems.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde said, however, there was "nothing to link the infections" to practices or the environment of the QEUH ward.

Outpatients and day cases are being dealt with as normal.

The decision to halt admissions was taken after the two most recent infection cases were detected.

A health board spokeswoman said: "Infection rates remain within expected levels for the patients treated on Ward 6A, however in light of two rarer infections, we are taking the precaution of reviewing infection control practices and procedures and the ward environment.

"These are two different infections and at this stage there is nothing to link the infections to the ward's infection control practices or the environment.

"In order to facilitate our investigations, we require to keep part of the ward unoccupied for a short period."

She added: "In addition we are taking the precaution of prescribing prophylactic antibiotics for patients on the ward."