§ Mr. Dempseyasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he has taken following the fatal accident inquiry of 12th January into the death of a patient under anaesthetic at Glasgow Royal Infirmary.
§ Mr. RossI have been considering with my engineering advisers the recommendations on the method of carrying out the nitrogen testing of medical gas pipe-lines which were made at the Inquiry by the expert witness called by the Procurator Fiscal. I have decided that the first recommendation (which the jury added as a rider to its verdict), namely, that no nitrogen pressure test of a new pipe-line should be made when any part of the line is connected to an existing medical gas line, should be adopted by hospital authorities forthwith; and a letter has been sent to hospital boards asking them to take immediate steps to this effect. Fresh guidance will be given to hospital boards on the other recommendations and on other matters relating to medical gas pipe-lines in the form of a comprehensive revised memorandum, which will be issued as soon as possible.