Crosshouse Hospital declares emergency after power cut

Crosshouse Hospital in Kilmarnock lost power in the early hours of Sunday

A hospital in East Ayrshire has been forced to launch an emergency response due to a power cut.

Crosshouse Hospital in Kilmarnock lost power in the early hours of Sunday.

NHS Ayrshire and Arran confirmed power had been fully restored at 11:30 with contingency plans in place to minimise disruption.

The health board's medical director said there were no concerns about patient safety or harm.

Dr Crawford McGuffie added an emergency response had been "swiftly mounted" in keeping with planning arrangements.

While the hospital's A&E department remains open, the power cut has placed pressure on services due to the recovery of administration systems.

People have been warned there may be disruption to the way they access services.

Dr McGuffie added: "We have worked closely with the Health and Social Care Partnerships and our partners in the overnight period including the Scottish Ambulance Service, NHS 24, and NHS Lanarkshire. We'd like to thank our partners for their invaluable support as we worked together to resolve this issue.

"Our emergency departments are busy this morning, so please only attend if you require emergency care. Otherwise there may be services that can treat you quicker and closer to home - call NHS 24 on 111 for advice on the best way to access appropriate care."