NHS estate hit by theatre power cuts and black mould
WATER damage affecting an operating theatre in Fife caused a power cut in the middle of a patient’s procedure earlier this year, according to data obtained by The Herald on dozens of “deeply worrying” building safety incidents across NHS Scotland.
Freedom of information disclosures reveal that Theatre Six at Queen Margaret Hospital, Dunfermline, had to be shut down on January 22 following the sudden loss of electricity mid-operation “due to external water damage”.
A summary of the incident, which was reported to the health board’s estates department, notes that a staff nurse “organised all equipment to be moved into a working socket on different circuit, allowing the team to finish current case” while an electrician was contacted.
The theatre then “stopped working” and the remaining patient list was “discussed and changes made”.
Freedom of information data shows that, earlier in the same day, water leaks had been discovered in the ceiling hatch and built-in light cluster of Theatre Five in the same hospital after drips were noticed by staff during another procedure.
This procedure was also completed before the theatre was closed for repair.
A spokeswoman for NHS Fife said the leak above the two theatres had occurred after high winds damaged the roof.
She said: “The procedures in progress were safely completed and the damaged electrical systems were repaired within 48 hours, resulting in only a very small number of procedures requiring to be rescheduled.”
The details come after Audit Scotland warned that, by the end of 2022, NHS Scotland had a £1.1 billion maintenance backlog that included issues with fire safety testing, leaking pipes and “inadequate precautions to manage built environment infection risks to
patients”. The disclosures from NHS Fife also reveal an incident on December 30 last year when a “pungent smell” in a supported discharge unit at the Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy was traced to a dead rat in a doctor’s room.
Days later, on January 2, an “unpleasant smell” also led to the discovery of “black mould” affecting a renal dialysis outpatients unit at the Victoria.
Repairs were made and an emergency meeting called by the infection control team on January 12. On January 14, a silicone sealant was used “to seal gap between wall space on dialysis side of the wall panel”.
At-risk patients were identified and relocated to a separate dialysis area while repairs were carried out.
A spokeswoman for NHS Fife said this was done “as a precaution” due to the proximity of the leak to the renal dialysis unit and had affected “a small number of immuno-compromised patients”.
She added: “NHS Fife has a large estate and, as such, it is common to have to carry out repairs and remedial work where emerging issues develop. In such instances the safety of patients, staff and visitors is our priority.”
The Herald asked all of Scotland’s health boards for details of the 10 most recent building safety incidents logged with their estates department.
There were dozens of cases involving flooding, leaks, storm damage, faulty lifts, broken equipment, trip hazards, or tiles falling from walls and ceilings and sometimes landing on patients.
However, several were more alarming.
Disclosures from NHS Lanarkshire reveal that a frail elderly patient with cognitive impairment absconded twice in July 2023 from a secure unit at Stonehouse Hospital because an alarm on the fire door was not working.
Other incidents included a visitor at Wishaw General Hospital catching a television after it fell off the wall in September last year, and a near miss at University Hospital Hairmyres in July 2023 when a “heavy, sharp and metal” air vent came loose from its safety chain and plunged from the ceiling in “close proximity” to a patient.
Colin Lauder, director of planning, property and performance at NHS Lanarkshire, said: “We take the health and safety of our staff, patients and visitors extremely seriously.
“While no individual came to any harm, all safety incidents are investigated. Any preventative measures identified are put in place to help avoid any similar incidents in the future.”
NHS Lothian reported that flooring had to be replaced at the Royal Edinburgh Hospital, a psychiatric facility, in March this year after a fire broke out in a bedroom.
NHS Tayside and NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde have yet to respond.
In addition to the maintenance backlog, NHS Scotland faces potentially huge bills to fix hospitals constructed using collapse-prone RAAC concrete.
Meanwhile, all new NHS building projects have been put on hold amid a capital funding squeeze.
Scottish Labour’s health spokeswoman, Jackie Baillie, said: “Reports of dangerous incidents due to tired buildings in our NHS are deeply worrying and demand immediate action from the government.”
Scottish Conservative health spokesman, Dr Sandesh Gulhane, said the findings were “shocking”.
A Scottish Government spokeswoman said its block grant for capital expenditure is forecast to reduce by 8.7% by 2027-28, equating to a cumulative loss of £1.3bn.
She added: “Our emphasis for the immediate future will be on addressing backlog maintenance and essential equipment replacement and we have asked health boards to prioritise their backlog maintenance programmes.