Ops cancelled af ter hospital water scare

999 calls diverted due to problem

MORE than 80 operations have been cancelled at a hospital that has been hit by problems with its water supply.

Surgery continued at the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Paisley for 24 hours after dark-coloured water started coming out of its taps.

But yesterday all 999 calls were diverted away from the hospital, with planned operations cancelled for 84 patients.

Doctors, who used the water to wash their hands before the shutdown, are using bottled water, hygiene wipes and gel as Scottish Water engineers begin a programme to flush out the mains supply.

It is believed a build-up of sediment in water tanks caused the issue, with the discoloured water thought to contain naturally occurring manganese.

It comes 12 years after high levels of the toxic metal were found in the Largs area of Ayrshire, with a water regulator calling in vain for Scottish Water to be prosecuted.

Last night the company insisted the levels of metal in the water at the hospital would be harmless.

In a statement, health board NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde said: ‘To alleviate some of the pressures and give our staff more capacity, we have taken the decision to cancel all elective surgery at the hospital today and tomorrow.

‘This affects a total of 84 patients. We have temporarily diverted 999 patients to other hospitals within the Greater Glasgow and Clyde area to reduce any clinical risk during this time as our team of experts closely monitors the situation.’

The health board has confirmed that NHS staff first noticed the problem with the water supply on Wednesday.

Dr Linda de Caestecker, director of public health, said the water was only used for handwashing, with sterile water, not from the taps, used for surgery. It is not known how long patients will be affected, with the health board pledging to ‘work round the clock’ with Scottish Water to ensure the hospital is up and running fully again as quickly as possible.

But operations will be cancelled today, with emergency patients

‘Patient safety is our priority’

diverted from the Royal Alexandra Hospital (RAH) and taken to other hospitals.

It comes after more than 600 operations were cancelled across Scotland in June for ‘non-capacity’ reasons, which include a lack of staff or beds. Staff at the Paisley hospital are said to be following infection control measures, brought in to keep hospitals clean and ward off superbugs.

Dr de Caestecker said: ‘I want to reassure existing patients in the RAH that they are safe and we have ensured the highest standards of infection control and patient care.

‘Patient safety is our priority and our staff will continue to deliver the highest levels of care despite the challenges.’

Robert Calderwood, the health board’s chief executive, said: ‘The staff at the hospital deserve praise for their professionalism in caring for their patients in these trying circumstances.’

Peter Farrer, Scottish Water’s chief operating officer, said the sediment appeared to have built up in the hospital’s internal storage tanks, but water entering the hospital is no longer discoloured. Further sampling is being carried out.

He added: ‘The cause of this discoloured water is believed to be naturally occurring manganese which, in the quantities commonly found in drinking water, is harmless.

‘The appearance of such discoloured water has been an occasional, seasonal issue in recent years in parts of Renfrewshire.

‘To address this, we are carrying out a £16million upgrade of the Muirdykes Water Treatment Works, which will help tackle the issue of discoloured water caused by naturally occurring manganese in the area. This is due to be completed in 2017.

‘In the meantime, we will shortly be commencing a programme to flush water mains and help address the issue.’