NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde confirmed it is seeking £73m in compensation after problems emerged following the £842m super hospital’s opening in 2015.

Two wards for children had to be closed over concerns about contaminated water supplies. The trust said that if successful it would use the cash to rectify problems that have emerged since the hospital’s opening.

The Trust’s chief executive commissioned an external technical advisor to review concerns about the hospital building.

An initial scoping plan was developed and considered a range of points including the initial contract, design, commissioning and maintenance programme. As the review progressed the scope was widened to include the laboratory block.

This review was completed last October and prompted the move to take legal action.

Trust board minutes said that problems had been identified with water hygiene, the ventilation system, glazing, fire doors, internal and external cladding, the heat exchanger and the fabric roof.

A spokesman for the contractor said: “Multiplex is extremely disappointed that some five years after the completion of the Queen Elizabeth, which was delivered on time, on budget and fully certified, the health board has now decided to issue legal proceedings.”

He added: “We are reviewing the terms of the claim and will provide a response in due course.

“Multiplex is treating the matters raised with utmost seriousness and will continue to work with the health board.”

A spokesman for the health board said: “Since its opening, a number of issues have arisen around the operational effectiveness of the hospital which have impacted on the seamless delivery of safe and effective healthcare.

“We have taken action to address a number of the issues and are in the process of remedying others.”