Humza Yousaf has said he was "disturbed" by reports that bosses at Scotland's largest health board admitted paying private investigators to spy on the relatives of dead patients.
The First Minister faced questions today on why NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) had used an external firm to conduct their Big Brother-style monitoring tactics on critical patients and relatives at the scandal-hit Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QEUH).
The revelation - first reported in the Sunday Mail - was branded "obscene" by Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar.
Widow Louise Slorance, whose late husband Andrew contracted an infection while being treated at the hospital for cancer, discovered both their names on the list of those being monitored.
She was in the public gallery of the Scottish Parliament today to hear the scandal raised at First Minister's Questions.
Asked by Sarwar why he had confidence in a health board that spied on the families of dead patients, Yousaf said: "I once again give my condolences to Louise Slorance on the death of Andrew Slorance.
"He was a colleague I worked with when I was transport minister."
He added: "I was also disturbed by the reports in the newspapers.
"My understanding is, as you would expect, there is a level of media monitoring that does take place by a board, particularly one the size of Greater Glasgow and Clyde.
"But, having listened to the concerns raised by Louise Slorance, I think Greater Glasgow and Clyde have taken the right action by removing her from the media monitoring they have.
"I would request they listen compassionately, and listen sensitively, to those patients that have been impacted.
"I understand they are reviewing their media monitoring and communication processes. But they should absolutely have patients at the heart of it."
It comes after the Record revealed how a health board boss was alleged to have referred to a “war” with the parents of children who became ill in the hospital infection scandal.
NHSGGC communications director Sandra Bustillo is said to have told her staff a concerned parent may have “won the battle but won’t win the war” after he raised his concerns in the media.
A whistleblower claimed Bustillo made the remark on more than one occasion after Professor John Cuddihy spoke publicly about his daughter Molly’s case.
Speaking after FMQs, Sarwar called for the board of NHSGGC to be sacked.
"Greater Glasgow and Clyde Health Board have paid a private company to spy on Louise Slorance, a grieving widow who lost her husband in the Queen Elizabeth Hospital infections scandal," he said.
"This is just the latest in a litany of shameful incidents that has seen the leadership of this health board intimidate whistle-blowers, engage in a cover up and frustrate the efforts of grieving families who are looking for justice.
"And instead of backing patients, Humza Yousaf, as Health Secretary, decided to take the board out of special measures and empower those responsible.
"The culture in this board is rotten.
"So rotten that their Director of Communications allegedly thought it was acceptable to say of a father fighting for justice for his sick daughter. And I quote: that “he may have won the battle but [he] won’t win the war”.
"Louise Slorance, John Cuddihy and other families have been treated with contempt. Louise is here in the gallery listening to our exchanges today.
"How much more does she and other families have to go through?
"The First Minister shouldn’t have to wait for an inquiry to know that spying on the families of dead patients is wrong – he just needs to look at his conscience.
"It’s time for the First Minister to finally do the right thing and sack the rotten leadership of this failing health board.”
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