Cancer wards at Glasgow children's hospital will not reopen until May 2021

The Royal Hospital for Children opened in 2015

Two children's cancer wards at the centre of contamination fears will not reopen until May next year.

Health Secretary Jeane Freeman revealed construction work to resolve issues at Wards 2A and 2B at the Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow has been set back by the Covid-19 pandemic.

She wrote to Glasgow MSPs and MPs on Tuesday to explain the delay, which will see completion almost a year late.

Glasgow Labour MSP Anas Sarwar called the news "disappointing".

In her letter, Ms Freeman said work had been progressing at the site but that there were significant delays as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

She said there had been significant challenges with supply chains and that social distancing had slowed down construction.

'Commissioned and validated'

She said: "We are still awaiting the finalised programme of works but NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde are expecting work to be complete in May 2021.

"NHSGGC are treating this with the utmost priority and I expect them only to open wards 2A and 2B when the board and the Scottish government are assured the new systems have been commissioned and validated in line with guidance and infection control are supportive of service commencement."

Wards 2A and 2B at the hospital were closed in September 2018 after a number of patients developed infections linked to contaminated water, with patients moved to the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital on the same site.

One 10-year-old child, Milly Main, died while being treated in the cancer wards in 2017.

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The return to the wards was expected to take place in March 2020 following work to replace water systems including drains, taps and sinks and a major upgrade to the ventilation system.

Milly Main died after contracting an infection at the Royal Hospital for Children

Labour MSP Anas Sarwar said: "This further delay is disappointing for patients and their families.

"The Scottish government is right to demand assurances from the health board, which must urgently work towards re-opening the wards safely and swiftly.

"This is about rebuilding confidence and restoring trust, which has been shattered following a series of cover-ups and mismanagement by health board chiefs.

"It is vital that families are kept fully informed throughout the process."

'Build in resilience'

A spokeswoman for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde said: " We continue to work to complete the significant programme of works within Wards 2A and 2B to deliver what will be one of the safest environments within the UK and ensure we are taking every possible measure to reduce the likelihood of infection for patients treated in the unit.

"Unfortunately, the schedule for the works has been impacted by Covid-19 restrictions. Based on Scottish government guidance for the construction sector and social distancing, current forecasts suggest the works will be completed in May 2021 although this may of course be impacted further by the ongoing response to the pandemic.

"We know that this will be disappointing news for parents and staff alike and we offer assurance of our absolute commitment to delivering this project safely and as quickly as possible."

The health board also revealed it had taken the opportunity to replace the air handling units for the bone marrow transplant areas within the two wards as a move to "build in resilience" for the future.