The Laidlaw unit at St Mary’s Hospital in Newport poses a fire safety risk to patients, it has been found.
According to an Isle of Wight NHS Trust Board report, the outpatient diagnostic and rehabilitation unit has been deemed unfit for purpose as it has an ‘inadequate’ alarm system and fire safety strategy.
Should a fire happen in the roof of the ward, relevant people would not be alerted due to its disconnected fire alarm system. It is disconnected, the Trust says, due to asbestos in the roof which means there is an inability to safely maintain it.
The safe evacuation of patients will also be compromised as there would be minimal warning of the fire before it affects patient and staff areas.
Some patients in side rooms are not able to be evacuated in beds due to doors not being wide enough and there are also ‘inadequately’ sized and positioned fire exits in the unit.
Night-time staffing levels also pose an issue to fire safety as there are not enough people to safely carry out the evacuation plan.
The Isle of Wight NHS Trust has been quick to reassure patients their safety is of top priority and the ward is safe to use. A Trust spokesperson said it was working closely with the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service, who visited last week to revive the fire safety measures. The Trust said the fire service was happy for them to continue using Laidlaw.
The spokesperson said there are comprehensive plans in place to ensure they are able to move patients safely in the event of a fire or other emergency. They have now prioritised plans to make further changes to improve the safety of the Laidlaw ward including new storage facilities and widening of access doors.
Extra fire wardens are being trained and wheelchairs will be permanently sited in the department to assist in an evacuation.
“The Trust said the fire service was happy for them to continue using Laidlaw”
Trust? An oxymoron, surely.
Where’s my bargepole.
Bloody hell, this is terrible. It’s like something from the 1960s
So….when they put the beds into the side wards they knew the doors weren’t wide enough but they went ahead and opened the unit anyway. When H&S said the unit was unsafe they kept it open anyway. Just how far down the priority list do the patients stand now?
Speaks volumes doesn’t it! Not safe but who cares? We do it our way here in St Mary’s! We don’t listen to anyone else’s views or reasons even if they’re right!
Unsafe in more places than just laidlaw. It’s time for a massive shake up. Our dad was in there earlier this year it scares us to think he was at such risk. What’s wrong with them all!?
So if the fire service say it is safe to carry on why were smoke detectors fitted in the first place. No doubt if there was need for an evacuation all the management and the trust spokesperson would be the first to help?
Nothings fit for purpose on the island