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Altnagelvin Hospital: RCN say staff concerned over tower block safety Altnagelvin Hospital: RCN say staff concerned over tower block safety
(about 9 hours later)
The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has said some staff at Altnagelvin hospital are concerned about the safety of the tower block where a fire broke out on Friday night.The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has said some staff at Altnagelvin hospital are concerned about the safety of the tower block where a fire broke out on Friday night.
Three wards on the top floors of the unit are to be closed following the fire.Three wards on the top floors of the unit are to be closed following the fire.
The Western Health Trust said it was difficult to move patients from these levels following the fire. The Western Health Trust said it was difficult to move patients from these levels after the fire.
RCN officer Dessie Lowry said an "extensive report" was needed. Its chief executive, Elaine Way, has insisted the hospital is safe.
"I can assure the community that uses the hospital regularly that the trust board and the senior managers within the Western Trust are paying attention regularly to all of the safety issues associated with the hospital," she said.
"I think it would be important to await the report from the fire service that will actually establish the cause of the fire.
"When you have a ten-storey high tower block it would be acknowledged to have fire safety challenges and over the past three years alone we have spent over £5m improving safety within the hospital including recently spending £2m on a patient fire evacuation lift which was used on Friday night."
She said the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service trained regularly with its staff, and that no-one had been injured during the incident on Friday night.
"All of the patients that I have met who were transferred have commended all of the staff from the emergency services for the calm way the evacuation was executed and that's what our planning is about," she added.
Ms Way said in two-and-a-half years' time, there would be no inpatients within the tower block as a new wing was being built at the hospital.
"We have already opened a new south wing and we will open a north wing, once all patients are moved that mitigates that risk," she said.
Earlier, RCN officer Dessie Lowry had said an "extensive report" was needed into the fire.
"A number of staff are reflecting concerns portrayed by local politicians," he said."A number of staff are reflecting concerns portrayed by local politicians," he said.
"We as an organisation are working with trust management to try and ensure recovery plans that are put in place are fit for purpose. "We, as an organisation are working with trust management to try and ensure recovery plans that are put in place are fit for purpose.
"The report into this fire needs time and space to get it right."The report into this fire needs time and space to get it right.
"We don't want to see a rushed report."We don't want to see a rushed report.
"We want to see a report that is extensive in its nature and bring forward recommendations which can be put in place."We want to see a report that is extensive in its nature and bring forward recommendations which can be put in place.
"The trust have acted swiftly in permanently closing the top three wards.""The trust have acted swiftly in permanently closing the top three wards."
The trauma, orthopaedic and general medical wards are to be relocated.The trauma, orthopaedic and general medical wards are to be relocated.
Patients from those wards are being cared for in other parts of the hospital.Patients from those wards are being cared for in other parts of the hospital.
Eighteen procedures scheduled for Tuesday will be postponed. Eighteen procedures scheduled for Tuesday were postponed.
InspectionInspection
Seven wards at the hospital were evacuated on Friday night after a fire started on the roof.Seven wards at the hospital were evacuated on Friday night after a fire started on the roof.
The cause is still under investigation but the Fire and Rescue Service said it appears it was accidental. The cause is still under investigation, but the Fire and Rescue Service said it appears it was accidental.
It was the second fire at the premises in just over a fortnight.It was the second fire at the premises in just over a fortnight.
On Monday, Health Minister Edwin Poots told MLAs in the assembly that the hospital was safe to use.
He said he did not believe the fire was caused by anything involving the fabric of the building.
Mr Poots was responding to concerns raised by SDLP MLA Pat Ramsey, who has called for an immediate inspection.
Up to 120 patients had to be moved from the affected wards on Friday night.
The trust said five out of the seven wards evacuated on Friday evening following the fire were now operating normally.
It is reviewing the future use of wards 8, 9 and 10 and patients from those wards will continue to be cared for in other parts of the hospital.