NewsRelease
29 February2016
Edward Hain CommunityHospital
Following a proactive fire safety review on Friday, 26 February a phased temporary suspension of the inpatient beds at Edward Hain Community Hospital in St Iveshas begun to allow remedial works to takeplace.
Five of the 12 inpatient beds, which are currently unoccupied, have been temporarily suspended, and the other seven inpatient beds will gradually be suspended during this week.
Immediate mitigating measures have been put in place to assure the safety of the remaining patients, including the installation of additional smoke detectors, arevised evacuation plan and additionalstaff.
All other out-patient services operated by Peninsula Community Health (PCH)from the site will continue and patients should attend their booked appointments as normal.
PCH agreed to the temporary suspension of beds at the unit following a joint in-depth fire safety review with building owner NHS Property Services that highlighted concerns with fire safetymeasures.
NHS partners are now working together to minimise disruption to patients and their families pending further expert advice to addressconcerns.
Ally Hardman, PCH Locality Manager for the west, said: “We are now working with our health and social care partners and patients and their families to ensure that patients can continue to be cared for as close to home as possible. This will include additional beds being made temporarily available at Camborne Redruth CommunityHospital.
“We are committed to putting patient safety at the heart of what we do by providing quality community healthcare services which meet the needs of the community andare working to ensure that the works cause as little disruption to our patients aspossible.
We’d like to thank the hospital’s League of Friends and the local community for their support during thistime.”
Christopher Cocklin, Chairman of the League of Friends of Edward Hain Hospital, said: “The League of Friends of Edward Hain Hospital, having been informed of the urgent need to carry out remedial safety works and having fully consulted withPeninsula Community Health and NHS Property Services staff, has agreed to a temporary suspension of inpatient services at our CommunityHospital.
“While regretting any interruption to our hospital’s long service to the St Ives area, both the Friends and the wider community have been assured that this is a strictlytemporary situation, while works arecompleted.
“We look forward to a rapid conclusion and re instatement of all the hospital’sservices.
“The “Friends” have offered to contribute toward any costs to ensure the resumptionof normal services at Edward Hain Hospital, should this berequired.”
Dr Iain Chorlton, Chairman at NHS Kernow, said: “We have been notified by NHS Property Services and PCH of a phased temporary closure of the inpatient beds atthe site due to essential fire safetywork.
“Partners in the local healthcare system are working closely to ensure thatinpatients receive seamless high quality care elsewhere during this period. Patients and their families are being kept up to date ondevelopments.
"The decision is as a direct response to the fire safety issues raised and our priorityat present is to ensure the safety of patients at thehospital.”
A spokesman for NHS Property Services said: “Beds are only closed when absolutely necessary. We are appointing a specialist fire safety engineer who will advise on the remedial work needed so the beds can be reopened as soon aspossible.”
ENDS
Notes toEditors:
NHS PROPERTY SERVICES is responsible for managing 4,000 NHS buildings, worthan estimated £3 billion. This represents 10 per cent of the overall NHS estate and is one of the largest property portfolios inEurope.
The company aims to drive efficiency in order to offer occupiers, tenants and customers reduced costs in running properties and relatedservices.
Every pound saved by the company is returned to theNHS.
In its first two years (April 2013- March 2015), the company has reduced the running costs of the property and services managed by more than £78million.
NHS Property Services has two main business areas. The first is strategic asset management services, working with healthcare commissioners to plan estates requirements, modernise or replace buildings or sell those the NHS no longer needs. Secondly, the company runs facilities management support services, such as cleaning, catering and maintenance to keep buildings safe, warm and clean for patients, staffand visitors.
For more information please contact Alex Cameron, Head of Communications, South, on 01823 361375 or 07990 848906. For urgent out-of-hours media enquiries relating to NHS Property Services, please call 0844 7368 578 and ask for the on-call communications and mediaservice.
See
Follow us on Twitter @NHSProperty and@NHSPS_South
PENINSULA COMMUNITY HEALTH, a not-for-profit community interest company, is the provider of community-based health services to adults in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly and provides NHS services through Community Hospitals, Minor Injuries Units and Community NursingTeams.
- For further information visit
Media enquiriesto:
Kelly Coad, Peninsula Community Health, 01726 627765 or01726627752
Please note, out of hours media enquiries should be directed to ourmain switchboard at Bodmin: 01208 251300. Ask for the director oncall.