An urgent investigation into allegations that a child cancer patient died as a result of contaminated water in a Glasgow hospital must be conducted by Scotland's health minister, it was demanded today.

Scottish Labour's health spokesperson Monica Lennon said that the claims, made by a whistleblower at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, needed to be answered immediately by the Scottish Government.

It has been reported the child's parents were not told about the contaminated water, which emerged following investigations into infections in children in the cancer wards at the Royal Hospital for Children (RHC) in Glasgow in 2017.

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Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow, where the death allegedly occurred

Two wards at the RHC were closed last September and patients moved to the adjoining Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QEUH) as Health Protection Scotland (HPS) investigated water contamination incidents.

An HPS investigation found 23 cases of blood stream infections with organisms potentially linked to water contamination were identified between 29 January and 26 September 2018.

The whistleblower contacted Scottish Labour MSP Anas Sarwar, claiming this investigation found up to 26 cases of water supply infections in children in the cancer wards in 2017, and that one child with cancer died after contracting an infection. The allegation was also made that the child's parents had not been informed about the infection.

Mr Sarwar raised the issue with Nicola Sturgeon at First Minister’s Question today, asking her to personally intervene. She said she "could not begin to imagine the pain of those who had lost loved ones".

She added: "Patient safety is paramount and that's exactly why the health secretary commissioned the independent review into the design, build, commissioning and maintenance of the QEUH and its also why, on 18 September, a public inquiry into the issues at the hospital and the Sick Kids Hospital in Edinburgh was announced.

"We are determined to address the concerns of patients and families and the Health Secretary is committed to returning to Parliament to set out the full details of the public inquiry as soon as possible."

However Mr Sarwar said he was disappointed in her response, which "failed to address the serious issues raised" and implored the First Minister "to reflect on this and personally intervene to seek answers, get justice for the families, and take the necessary actions so this never happens again.”

Now his colleague, Monica Lennon has written to the Health Secretary Jeane Freeman urging her to "demand immediate answers" from NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde.

Child with cancer 'died from contaminated water infection at Scottish hospital'