Home / Health / Mould Outbreak Shuts Key Heart Services at Edinburgh Hospital
Mould Outbreak Shuts Key Heart Services at Edinburgh Hospital
20 Aug
Summary
- Water leak caused mould, leading to closure of heart procedure services.
- Two specialist vascular procedure centres are temporarily out of use.
- Remedial work may cause delays or rescheduled appointments for patients.
The Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh is experiencing disruptions due to a water leak that has necessitated the temporary closure of key services. The incident led to the discovery of mould in non-clinical areas, impacting two specialist vascular procedure centres.
These centres, responsible for heart-related diagnostic and treatment procedures, are now out of use while essential remedial work is carried out. NHS Lothian has communicated that this temporary reduction in available clinical space may cause delays for some patients or require rescheduling of appointments.
Despite the service interruptions, the health board has emphasized that the situation poses no infection risk to either staff or patients. This event occurs amidst broader concerns about the hospital's infrastructure, with significant investment anticipated for upgrades upon its transfer to public ownership next year.
