THE hospital infections scandal inquiry shows there were “cultural problems” at Scotland’s largest health board, according to First Minister John Swinney.

Infections at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital and the Royal Children’s Hospital — both sharing a Govan campus — between 2016 and 2018 have been linked with the deaths of six cancer patients, including 10-year-old Milly Main.

Despite years of campaigning by bereaved families and over four years of evidence at the Scottish Hospitals Inquiry, however, only last week did NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) accept a probable link between a dirty water supply at the site and the infections.

A further submission, suggesting pressure to open the new hospital campus in 2015 may have contributed to flawed systems, sparked a wave of speculation on whether ministers had applied that pressure. The organisation was forced to issue an unprecedented clarification on Saturday night that the pressure had been internal.

Making clear that the Scottish government had not called for a clarification, Mr Swinney told BBC Scotland’s Sunday Show there had been “a lot of change” in the health board’s leadership since the crisis, adding: “It’s quite clear there’s been a cultural problem in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and that the inquiry essentially is flushing out that issue.

“The government will take very, very seriously what Lord Brodie says and will act upon his recommendations.

“Because what has clearly happened in the situation in the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital is completely unacceptable.”

On the same programme, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar hailed Milly Main’s mother, Kimberly Darroch, as an “extraordinary person” for her efforts to campaign for answers, but pointed out that the inquiry had not examined the “political decision-making” around the opening of the hospital.

“The same people that have told us there’s nothing to see here for the last decade are the same ones telling it now, and I just frankly don’t believe it,” he said.

“I think there’s something rotten at the core, both in terms of the health board management and officials and also ministers.”

The final closing submissions in the Scottish Hospitals inquiry took place on Friday and Lord Brodie, chairing, cautioned that he had “much work” to do before his final report would be published.