Peterhead hospital patients moved over Legionella in water

The bacteria was found at Peterhead Community Hospital

The inpatient ward at Peterhead Community hospital will be closed and patients relocated after Legionella was found in the water supply.

NHS Grampian said the move was not because of an increased infection risk.

It will relocate patients to un unused ward at Fraserburgh Hospital, 17 miles from Peterhead.

It was revealed last Friday that traces of the bacteria had been found in the water system. Some services at the hospital were suspended or reduced.

A number of measures were put in place and the use of toilets was restricted.

Aberdeenshire Health and Social Care Partnership said it had taken a "comprehensive options appraisal" to look at how to continue caring for patients.

In a statement to staff, it said: "We have decided that continuing to deliver this service - with a lack of sufficient catering facilities and difficulties providing adequate inpatient care with the risk control measures in place - is no longer in the best interest of our patients or our ward staff.

"We would stress that this decision is to support patient care and is not due to any new information indicating a potential increased risk of Legionella infection."

NHS Grampian said there were no known cases of legionella infection at the hospital.