Hospital staff 'disciplined' over missing Andrew plaque

Inquiry launched into why memorial to 15-year-old car crash victim was removed

Andrew McGeown's family have been left "devastated" after a memorial plaque to their son was removed from a hospital and 'lost'.

The Andrew McGeown Memorial Plaque

The plaque was installed at the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Paisley in 2008 in memory of Andrew, who died in a car crash three years earlier, aged just 15.

The McGeown family were told the plaque would be a permanent tribute to Andrew, who was a keen footballer and had been treated at the hospital after the crash.

But in recent months, the family noticed the plaque was missing and contacted the hospital to ask what had happened to it.

They were told that the plaque had been removed during building work and had been 'lost'.

Andrew's mother, Anne, said she was "devastated" by the news.

"We were told the plaque would be there forever," she said.

"It's heartbreaking to think that it's just been lost.

"Andrew was such a special boy and the plaque was a way of keeping his memory alive.

"We're just devastated that it's gone."

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde Investigation

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde has launched an investigation into how the plaque went missing.

A spokesperson for the health board said: "We are aware of the concerns raised by the family of Andrew McGeown regarding the memorial plaque that was installed at the Royal Alexandra Hospital.

"We have launched a full investigation into how the plaque went missing and we are working to trace its whereabouts.

"We understand that this is a difficult time for the family and we are doing everything we can to support them.

"We will keep the family updated on the progress of our investigation and we will take any necessary action to ensure that this does not happen again."

The McGeown family have said they are "hopeful" that the plaque will be found and returned to its rightful place.

"We just want to know what happened to it and we want it back," said Anne.

"It's the only thing we have left of Andrew."

The family have also launched a social media campaign to raise awareness of the missing plaque and to appeal for information about its whereabouts.

They are using the hashtag #FindAndrewsPlaque and are asking people to share their posts and to contact them if they have any information.