Delayed hospital now hit by fire hazard warning
A TROUBLED new children’s hospital delayed because of ventilation problems is also a ‘fire risk’.
Possible flaws in cabling at the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People in Edinburgh could lead to smoke and fumes entering clinical areas, documents show.
The £150million hospital was due to open in July, but Health Secretary Jeane Freeman intervened after concerns were raised over ventilation and drainage.
A public inquiry will examine problems at the hospital and at Glasgow’s Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QEUH).
Emails exchanged between NHS Lothian and the Scottish Government after Miss Freeman decided to delay the opening of the Edinburgh hospital have now been released under Freedom of Information legislation.
One reveals 39 separate issues with the building, some of which have now been resolved. Fifteen entries relate to ‘air handling units’, part of the heating and ventilation system.
One entry flagged up a concern that cabling inside the units could develop electrical faults and possible fires.
It added there was the ‘potential for smoke/fumes to enter clinical areas’. The document noted a ‘similar situation’ was found at an NHS hospital in England in 2016, adding: ‘All wiring had to be removed before handover.’
Meanwhile MSPs on Holyrood’s health committee say they handed over a damning report to Miss Freeman seven months ago.
Written by an anonymous infection control specialist, this said: ‘Inadequate ventilation systems have been installed in new-build hospitals. These are not fit for purpose.’ The expert added that ‘urgent action’ was needed to rectify fundamental issues.
Labour MSP Anas Sarwar said: ‘It is not possible Jeane Freeman did not know about the ventilation issue at Edinburgh children’s hospital. She’s been warned for months its problems were similar to those at Glasgow’s QEUH.’
Susan Goldsmith, of NHS Lothian, said: ‘We are working with the contractors to scope remedial works to modify the design of air-handling unit cabling. This work will be completed before any migration of service.’
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde said its hospitals are safe and infection rates low. A spokesman added: ‘The issues that were raised in this anonymised submission relate to a number of unspecified Scottish hospitals.’
The Scottish Government said that ensuring fire safety in hospitals was ‘a priority’. A spokesman added: ‘This anonymous report provided a general critique of health hazards and risks and was not specific to any one hospital.’
Another day, another NHS crisis as bill to fix wards soars Daily Mail, September 19