Why were surgeries postponed at NHS Grampian?

Surgeries were postponed because NHS Grampian's Central Decontamination Unit, which cleans surgical tools, was shut down due to a faulty piece of equipment.

When will the NHS Grampian decontamination unit be fixed?

A refurbished facility is hoped to be up and running by the end of January.

What caused the contamination issue at NHS Grampian?

An unknown substance, thought to be linked to faulty equipment, was found on surgical instruments.

Home / Health / NHS Grampian's Faulty Unit Halts Surgeries

NHS Grampian's Faulty Unit Halts Surgeries

9 Dec, 2025

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Summary

Nearly 1,500 surgeries and appointments were postponed due to a faulty decontamination unit.
A faulty piece of equipment led to an unknown substance found on surgical tools.
Other health boards are assisting NHS Grampian with instrument cleaning.

NHS Grampian's Faulty Unit Halts Surgeries

NHS Grampian has seen over 1,492 surgeries and appointments postponed since October due to a faulty Central Decontamination Unit (CDU) used for cleaning surgical instruments. The facility closed after an unknown substance was discovered on equipment, believed to be linked to a malfunctioning machine. This closure resulted in the postponement of 753 elective surgical procedures and 739 dental outpatient appointments.

Operations are no longer being postponed, with acute medical director Paul Bachoo anticipating a refurbished CDU facility to be operational by the end of January. To mitigate the impact, staff from other health boards, including NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and NHS Highland, have been cleaning hundreds of instruments daily. Manual washing, including the use of toothbrushes for initial decontamination, is being employed to ensure effectiveness.