Decontamination unit reopens after ventilation failure

Efforts are now under way to clear a backlog of work

An Aberdeen hospital decontamination unit which was forced to close - leading to dozens of operations being postponed - has reopened.

About 200 operations have had to be delayed since 28 August when the Foresterhill central decontamination unit (CDU) - used to sterilise surgical equipment - suffered a failure in its ventilation system.

NHS Grampian said it had now reopened.

The health board's smaller decontamination unit, at Woodend Hospital, remains out of use due to damage from a lightning strike.

NHS Grampian said the CDU was able to reopen after repairs and environmental testing.

With the other facility also out of action due to damage from the lightning strike it had been announced that some operations would be postponed due to a lack of sterile surgical equipment.

Divisional general manager Cameron Matthew said: "I’m pleased to say that we have been able to reopen our CDU at Foresterhill.

"Regrettably, by this morning we had been forced to postpone around 16 operations a day since August 28, and I would once again like to apologise to all patients who have been affected.

"Our usual workload in Grampian is around 103 surgical procedures per day and we are now working to get back to that level and we anticipate a smaller number of postponements in the coming days, as CDU staff work to clear a backlog of equipment."

Work to repair the Woodend unit continues.