ERI fire alarms out of action for eight days
Fire alarms around surgical theatres were among those affected
HEALTH chiefs have heavily criticised the private firm which runs Edinburgh Royal Infirmary after it failed to inform them that smoke alarms at the hospital had been broken for more than a week.
The Evening News has learned that safety devices around ten surgical theatres, changing rooms and offices would not have detected a fire because of a fault in the system.
Consort – the firm which runs non-clinical services at the hospital – failed to notify health chiefs for eight days. The issue only arose after an NHS Lothian employee raised concerns that the area was not connected to central fire control on Tuesday.
Consort – which is paid £50 million a year to operate the ERI – was hauled into urgent talks with the health board and an investigation is under way to ensure there is no repeat.
The revelation comes just weeks after the Evening News revealed how Consort had cleared staff to work without carrying out criminal background checks.
Today, Consort admitted there had “clearly” been a failure over the smoke alarms but blamed Balfour Beatty Workplace for the problem. Balfour Beatty Workplace is part of Balfour Beatty, Consort’s parent company.
Extra staff were brought in to operate 24-hour patrols around the affected area until the problem was resolved yesterday afternoon.
Union bosses slated Consort for the fault, having previously highlighted that some panic buttons at the hospital failed to work. Unison branch chairman Tom Waterson said: “Patients should be extremely concerned that they were potentially put at risk by Consort and Balfour Beatty’s failure to tell the health board about this defect.
“We accept that things break but not taking control of the situation is unacceptable.”
He added: “There were concerns raised in October that panic alarms had gone down and staff were not informed. In December we were assured that if any system that went down, fire, security, or anything, we would be alerted immediately. That hasn’t happened.”
Lothians MSP Sarah Boyack, who has raised a string of problems at the ERI with Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon at Holyrood, said: “I’m concerned it appears this fault was unreported for days. That is unacceptable. Patient safety must be absolutely paramount. I hope this issue is investigated properly.”
Jackie Sansbury, chief operating officer at NHS Lothian, said that while patient safety had not been compromised, Consort had operated outwith normal procedure.
She said: “The safety of all patients, staff and visitors is of prime importance and they were never put at risk at any time because of the initial actions put in place by Consort. However, we have strict guidelines and protocols in place regarding escalation to ensure the necessary people are aware of issues and these were not followed.
“As soon as the fault was raised with us we took instant action to ensure security staff were permanently positioned in each of the affected areas to raise the alarm if necessary.
“The issue is now rectified and normal services resumed.”
A spokeswoman for Consort said: “Clearly, there was a failure by our FM provider, Balfour Beatty Workplace, to communicate a problem with the fire alarm system at the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, to Consort and NHS Lothian.
“As a result of the failure, BBW put in place contingency measures by increasing security patrols to perform fire watch until the repair was completed. The system is now fully functional.
“Consort initiated an immediate investigation with BBW regarding this issue including a review of their processes to ensure any similar problems are not repeated. This is being closely monitored by Consort.”
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Comments
There are 15 comments to this article
Page 1 of 1
A Voice of Reason
Friday, February 10, 2012 at 05:25 AMI completely agree with the comments at No 4 there is no story here. There was a problem it got fixed. Its time this newspaper reported news and just stopped bashing the NHS or the RIE more specifically. As to No 14 Nancy Wilson being told there was a 56 hr wait at A&E what utter tosh. Either she is just plain wrong or she misheard. No one would ever say that and as an ex A&E doctor it would be completely impossible to estimate any wait could be that long. Just not possible. Finally as to being told to go to minor injuries or wait to see a GP. that's exactly right. The problem is A&E is that there are far too many people who SHOULD NOT BE THERE. The hint is in the title - Accident and Emergency!
nancy wilson
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 09:44 PMHave just came from the ERI and it would seem its not just the alarms that aren't working...the whole system isn;t!!!! After sitting for over 3 hours we were evenutually all told that there was a 56 hour waiting list to be seen, even by a nurse!! Those who could were told to go home or across the city to the Western General Minor Injuries Unit or wait and see there GP in the morning. Anyone who chose to wait would just have to sit it out!! I don't know about anyone else but I for one would not have been there and am pretty sure that applied to most of the people who had been sitting in pain and discomfort for hours already unless it was necessary. Could they not have made people aware that there was a considerable wait when they booked in at Reception?? Instead we were only told that there was a 'bit' of a wait, not 56 hours!!! I appreciate the Immediate Care Unit is being updated and the building works are putting extra strain on resources but surely they should have had contingency plans in place to deal with this! I have always had great admiration for the NHS and their treatment and care for our people but after tonight I was left disgusted and affronted. The A & E area of the hospital looked like the emergency rooms of some third world country! Added to that was the fact that the floors ect hadn't seen a brush or mop for goodness how long and it was a damned disgrace!! ERI, hang your head in shame!!!
harlequin
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 06:49 PMConsort should be sacked immediately for reckless endangerment,they are nothing but pasasites
Rugal
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 02:28 PM#10 How are the SNP funding the new Sick Kids hospital in Edinburgh? STF or Son of PFI as it's known. Another reason to tick the no box in 2014. SNP = Anti Edinburgh, always has been always will be.
Brian Waspsnest
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 02:21 PMThis wouldn't have happened if we had a hospital smoke alarm tsar.
Bunskibear
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 01:58 PM4 - Why do the SNP hate Edinburgh so much? I think your question should be 'why do LABOUR hate Edinburgh so much' as LABOUR were in government and it was they who approved the plansbuilding of the RIE and not SNP. As far as I can see SNP is the only government that has ever had Scotland's best interests at heart, no matter what you may think of Alex Salmond.
Curious Yellow
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 01:57 PMAs #8 says, most places with alarm systems carry out regular tests; in fact, they are obliged to by law! So whilst Consort may very well be at fault here, and they should be facing a demand for some sort of reduction in their management fees, local facilities management staff should have picked up the failure a lot quicker!
Most places with smoke and fire alarms are checked on a regular basis, so internally there is a problem, once all departments have fought against each other as who is to blame, it will be sorted. pigswill_trumpet.
Belle du Jeer
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 01:05 PM4 - Why do the SNP hate Edinburgh so much? That's not fair. The SNP Government has stepped in to help Edinburgh Council finish the tram line.Trams are much more fun than hospitals!
EbeneezerGood
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 01:03 PMERI, RIE, IRE, EIR......? Here we go again.....
Tintock Pete
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 12:53 PMSounds like there was a problem and it was sorted. End of. There's no news here as this kind of thing happens all the time.
Rugal
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 12:49 PMBrookfield Constructions UK Ltd has won the contract to deliver the £840million New South Glasgow Hospital campus - the biggest single NHS hospital building project ever undertaken in Scotland. Their successful bid was made public by Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon, on behalf of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde....................Glasgow gets a fully taxpayer funded super hospital, Edinburgh gets a generation of debt and a hospital we'll never own..........Why do the SNP hate Edinburgh so much?
grumpyscot
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 12:32 PMConsort should be heavily fined - if not have their contract taken away - for endangering the lives of so many people at the RIE. Ms Sturgeon - don't rely on someone else to investigate - do it yourself
not me again
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 12:30 PMoops their not there.
not me again
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 12:30 PMSurely when these highly paid companies do not fulfil there obligations a large monetary penalty should be applied.
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