NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde: Chief Operating Officer Safety and Assurance Oversight Group Minutes: 25 March 2026

Attendees and apologies

Attendees

• Chair - Chief Operating Officer, NHS Scotland 
• Chief Nursing Officer 
• Deputy Chief Nursing Officer 
• Professional Nurse Adviser for Healthcare Associated Infections 
• Deputy Director, Health Infrastructure and Sustainability 
• Deputy Chief Medical Officer 
• Head of HCAI and AMR Unit 
• Deputy Director, Leadership, Culture and Wellbeing 
• Deputy Director, Chief Nursing Officer Directorate 
• Head of Health Sponsorship 
• Secretariat

Apologies

• Unit Head, Information Governance Response Unit 
• Deputy Director, Information Scrutiny & Governance 
• Deputy Director, Planning & Quality 
• Unit Head, Planning & Quality

Items and actions

Welcome
The Chair welcomed members and noted that the NHS GGC Safety and Public Confidence Oversight Group (SPCOG) has now met, creating additional developments and assurance matters for consideration. Members discussed the importance of maintaining sight of all key workstreams and ensuring emerging issues are visible ahead of the next meeting in April.

Approval of Minutes
The minutes of the meeting held on 18 February were approved.

Actions Log
No outstanding actions were raised. 
 
Action: All members to continue reviewing and updating the actions log regularly.

Feedback from GGC SPCOG Meeting
The Head of Health Sponsorship provided an overview of feedback from the SPCOG Co-Chairs, with additional reflections from the Deputy Chief Nursing Officer and Deputy Chief Medical Officer. Members agreed it is important to clearly establish that both attend SPCOG in their professional capacities and not as representatives of the Scottish Government. 
 
The Chair advised that SPCOG and its sub-groups will be structured around four themes: public and family engagement and communication; professional relationships, staff engagement, leadership and culture; hospital built environment, infection prevention and control; and immediate issues and final recommendations arising from the Scottish Hospitals Inquiry. 
 
Members agreed that future agendas for this group should align to these themes to support discussion of SPCOG progress. The Chief Nursing Officer advised that assurance arrangements will continue to be considered with the Chief Medical Officer. 
 
Discussion also focused on escalation arrangements should SPCOG or NHS GGC require Scottish Government involvement. The Chair confirmed that escalation should be through the NHS GGC Board and then into this group. 

Action: Confirm NHS GGC understands the professional capacity in which the Deputy Chief Nursing Officer and Deputy Chief Medical Officer participate in SPCOG. 
Action: Ensure the SPCOG Terms of Reference clearly reflect this position. 
Action: Consider whether a discussion with the Chair would be useful ahead of the next SPCOG meeting. 
Action: Future agendas to align to the four SPCOG themes. 
Action: Undertake scenario planning and update Terms of Reference to clarify escalation routes and decision-making responsibilities.

Update on Wards 4A and 4B
The Professional Nurse Adviser for Healthcare Associated Infections provided an update. NHS GGC is preparing an options paper on potential relocation arrangements. Members agreed that intelligence should continue to come through the Incident Management Team to ensure a single, consistent view.

Engagement with Families
The Head of Health Sponsorship provided an update on responses to actions arising from the meeting with the First Minister and Cabinet Secretary on 5 March, together with the questions submitted by families. The first tranche of responses is expected shortly.

Freedom of Information
The Secretariat provided an update on current Freedom of Information requests. No further comments were raised.

Proactive Release of Documents
Members discussed the proactive publication of key documents on gov.scot and agreed that this would support transparency. 
 
Action: The Chair and Secretariat to consider publication arrangements and alignment with NHS GGC documentation.

Immediate Next Steps
Ahead of the next SPCOG meeting, members were asked to consider the progress they would expect to see across each thematic area and the key outcomes required. Members were also asked to maintain awareness of developments relating to the Bone Marrow Transplant Unit. The Chair highlighted ongoing weekly discussions with Sir Lewis and invited members to raise any issues requiring attention.

AOB
The Chair advised that the pre-election period would begin on 26 March but Ministers would continue to receive briefings and take decisions where required. A weekly meeting with the Cabinet Secretary remains in place and a summary note will be prepared following each SPCOG meeting. 
 
Members also discussed the latest Scottish Hospitals Inquiry document release, the cryptococcus issue, infection prevention and control workforce pressures, and the need to establish a risk register aligned to the four SPCOG themes. 
 
Action: Secretariat to include a cryptococcus update on the next agenda. 
Action: Members to review the latest Scottish Hospitals Inquiry document release. 
Action: Secretariat to develop and circulate a risk register. 
 
The Chair confirmed that daily stand-up meetings and SitReps will reduce in frequency while retaining flexibility to increase activity if required.