Royal Berkshire Hospital's accident and emergency department closed after flooding and power outages
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Version 0 of 1. A hospital's accident and emergency department was closed as a major incident was declared following flooding and power outages. Royal Berkshire Hospital closed its A&E department to patients with anything other than life-threatening conditions as staff struggled to restore power to the building. Basement flooding and a fire on Thursday night caused a power cut across the hospital in Reading, Berks. It was understood that medical staff worked through the night wearing miners lamps and ensured the majority of services kept running by using backup generators. However a major incident was declared this/yesterday afternoon (Fri) as A&E was shut to all but the most serious of patients, with more minor cases being directed to alternative hospitals in Slough, Berks., Basingstoke, Hants., and Aylesbury, Bucks. Mary Sherry, chief operating officer for Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust, said: "Our A&E is formally 'closed' to anything other than life-threatening conditions. "Members of the public are asked to either attend an urgent care centre, a walk in centre or A&E at Wexham Park, Stoke Mandeville, Frimley or Basingstoke with whom we have arranged a formal divert. "The hospital is currently in major incident status due to the uncertainty of when full power will be restored to Battle Block and North Block. "To ensure patient safety, we will be moving patients from Battle Block to other areas of the hospital." The basement was flooded at 4.30am on Thursday after an underground leak and firefighters spent four hours pumping water away from the hospital. A small electrical fire then broke out in the afternoon in an electrical cupboard. Ms Sherry said the hospital's water supply had been restored and the majority of power in North Block. Extensive water damage meant power issues persisted in the north side of Battle Block. On an average day the A&E department sees around 300 people. INS News Agency |