Portsmouth's Queen Alexandra Hospital hit by water leak

A major water leak has led to appointments being cancelled and left wards without running water at a hospital already under Covid pressures.

Portsmouth's Queen Alexandra Hospital declared a major incident after the high-pressure pipe burst earlier.

The maternity and intensive care units are without water from taps but have contingency supplies.

The emergency department remains open but ambulances are being diverted to other hospitals.

Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust said the burst pipe occurred in a ground floor corridor and firefighters were brought in to help clean up and restore supplies.

The leak affected many parts of the site, the NHS said

It is thought to have been related to a power surge affecting hospital's the on-site water pumps.

The hospital announced earlier that outpatient appointments would be cancelled but dialysis and chemotherapy appointments would continue as normal.

Ambulances are being diverted to hospitals, including in Southampton, Basingstoke and Winchester, while walk-in A&E patients being encouraged to go elsewhere for care.

The trust's chief executive Penny Emerit said no staff or patients were harmed when the pipe burst.

'Significant pressure'

She said the hospital was only carrying out "life-saving surgery".

"Our absolute priority is to make sure patients currently on the site are safe, and we are testing the water supply - we have contingencies in place to make sure ward areas can safely return to use.

"We were all already under significant pressure due to the general urgent care demands and the Covid position, so we're having to manage that pressure very carefully with our partners," she added.

'Return to normal'

A South Central Ambulance Service (SCAS) spokesperson said some patients who would have gone to the Queen Alexandra Hospital were taken to one of six alternative hospitals nearby.

They said the arrangement was needed until early Friday afternoon and additional staff and emergency vehicles ensured demand was met.

"SCAS will continue to provide additional staff and vehicles in the local area [on Saturday] as the wider health and social care services return to normal," they added.