NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde: Chief Operating Officer Safety and Assurance Oversight Group Minutes: 18 February 2026

Attendees and apologies

• Chair - Chief Operating Officer, NHS Scotland
• Deputy Director Health Infrastructure and Sustainability
• Deputy Chief Medical Officer
• Public Health Professional Nurse Advisor
• Unit Head, Information Governance Response Unit
• Head of HCAI and AMR Unit (Healthcare and Associated Infections & Antimicrobial Resistance)
• Deputy Director, Planning & Quality
• Deputy Director of Leadership, Culture and Wellbeing
• Chief Nursing Officer for Scotland
• Secretariat
   

Items and actions

Welcome
The Chair noted the significant volume of recent activity, much of it reactive, including correspondence from the First Minister to affected families and increasing media and political scrutiny. Responses to families’ correspondence are being coordinated.

The Chair also highlighted that publication of key documents must be carefully managed given ongoing litigation and inquiry processes, noting risks associated with public release of material.

Action: Secretariat to confirm whether the First Minister’s letter to families has now been issued.

Approval of Minutes of Previous Meetings
Members were invited to submit any amendments to the minutes to the Secretariat.

Action: Members to notify Secretariat of any amendments to the draft minutes.

Actions Log
The Chair asked members to review the action log and provide updates on their assigned actions.

Action: All members to provide updates on allocated actions to Secretariat.

Update on Current Issues / GGC Position

• Work continues with NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde (GGC) on publication of the Authorising Engineer report, which will be taken to the GGC Board.
• An ACOM report has been requested; however, Scottish Government cannot release it as ownership rests with NHS GGC.
• Sir Lewis commenced his role and visited QEUH on 17 February, reviewing the building fabric and high risk clinical areas. Consideration is being given to relocating bone marrow transplant services back to the Beatson.
• Media attention remains focused on water quality issues, with bottled or sterile water currently provided to patients. This issue requires further consideration by the group.

Policy and Assurance Perspectives
The Chief Nursing Officer clarified that CNOD’s involvement is limited to infection risks associated with water quality, while responsibility for water systems, ventilation and infrastructure sits within estates, led by the Deputy Director Health Infrastructure and Sustainability.

Inquiry and Information Governance
The Unit Head of the Information Governance Response Unit updated the group on inquiry activity, including:

• Ongoing information requests and a Section 21 notice.
• A request for a witness statement linked to alleged political pressure, though this will not return to the group.
• A request from NHS GGC for the Inquiry to restrict access to the ACOM report due to ongoing litigation.

The Unit Head of the Information Governance Response Unit emphasised the importance of robust information governance when managing information shared with the public and Ministers, and highlighted lessons on effective communication with families.
The Chair noted that NHS GGC is exploring proactive communications approaches, including videos and blogs, to support public messaging during periods of heightened scrutiny.

Ministerial and Political Engagement

• A cross party meeting with health spokespeople was scheduled for later that day, attended by the Cabinet Secretary, the Chair, Jann Gardner and Sir Lewis.
• The Cabinet Secretary intends to visit QEUH on 4 March to thank staff.
• The political environment remains challenging, with high anticipated media interest.

Action: Secretariat to identify attendees for Ministerial visits in Glasgow and advise Chief Nursing Officer of any matters requiring her attention.

Terms of Reference (ToR)
The group discussed the need for clarity and consistency in defining safety and public confidence measures.

• It was agreed that the group’s role is to provide assurance on the effectiveness of NHS GGC processes, not to own individual outcome metrics.
• Metrics currently used by NHS GGC will be requested and reviewed.
• A clear distinction should be made between validation (initial system approval) and verification (ongoing assurance).
• The final aim of the ToR should be reframed to focus on NHS GGC providing assurance to Scottish Government on specific areas, rather than restoring public confidence in general terms.

Leadership and Organisational Culture
Members emphasised the importance of leadership and culture in embedding sustainable safety improvements.

• Evidence should include both qualitative and quantitative indicators.
• The Deputy Director of Leadership, Culture and Wellbeing confirmed that a near final paper on culture and leadership interventions is in circulation, with outputs expected by early April.
• A deeper discussion on organisational culture was agreed as beneficial.

Action: The Chief Nursing Officer will advise the group on appropriate timing for a dedicated discussion on organisational culture, with the option to invite Jann Gardner to present on work underway in GGC.

Actions Arising
The following actions were agreed or confirmed during the meeting:
1.    Secretariat to confirm whether the First Minister’s letter to families has been issued.
2.    Members to provide any amendments to the minutes to Secretariat.
3.    All members to provide updates on allocated actions to Secretariat.
4.    Secretariat to identify attendees for Ministerial visits in Glasgow and advise Chief Nursing Officer of any related issues.
5.    Revise the Terms of Reference to: 

• reflect the distinction between validation and verification; and
• reframe the aim as NHS GGC providing assurance to Scottish Government on defined areas of focus.

6.    Chief Nursing Officer to advise on timing for a dedicated discussion on organisational culture, including whether to invite Jann Gardner.
7.    Secretariat to issue updated Terms of Reference reflecting agreed amendments.