Fire officers, fire safety and health estates personnel and senior brigade staff at last month’s National Association of Healthcare Fire Officers (NAHFO) 2008 conference (see also p34) expressed surprise that, four months after the Royal Marsden fire (Health Estate Journal – February/March 2008), little has been said by hospital management about the causes.
However, Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust CEO Cally Palmer told Health Estate Journal the fire report (being compiled by London Fire Brigade) has not yet been received, adding: “While we still have not received an official report, our insurance company has agreed to cover our rebuilding costs – and we have quickly moved to begin repairs. Our insurance package also covers funding alternative resourcing as we rebuild.”
Cally Palmer explained that three wards in the hospital’s Chelsea Wing had been affected by the fire and the knock-on effects of a lack of plant, due to some equipment being damaged, adding: “One of these wards is currently being refurbished and we plan reopening it during June. The other two are not expected to be operational until next year. Patients that would ordinarily be cared for in these wards are being looked after either in our Sutton hospital, in other Chelsea wards, or in leased accommodation at a neighbouring hospital. We had five theatres operational before the fire, which have, again, suffered from a lack of heating, electricity, ventilation and air conditioning services.
“For complex surgery, we are leasing theatre time and space, and critical care unit beds, but intend recommissioning three theatres and six critical care beds shortly, meaning we will then be able to care for all our patients between our Chelsea and Sutton sites.”
The Sutton hospital has, Cally Palmer added, taken over much of the Trust’s surgical requirements, leasing a Vanguard Healthcare modular theatre and recovery suite, plus an eight-bed admission/day ward, to help support existing theatres.
