Dirty equipment delays operations at Dudley's Russells Hall Hospital
Hospital patients had operations cancelled on the day at Russells Hall as equipment was too dirty for doctors to use, the Express & Star can reveal.
Medical instruments returned dirty from the hospital’s sterilisation department forcing the last minute cancellation of three operations.
The report, sent out by the Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust which runs the hospital, said: “We have had instruments returned from HSDU (Hospital Sterilisation and Decontamination Unit) either dirty or not in sufficient time for procedures to be undertaken resulting in on the day cancellations.”
It comes after the Express & Star revealed earlier this month that a man had a surgical instrument left inside him following an operation in October.
Unforeseen
Diane Wake, chief executive of the Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We recorded one incident in February involving dirty instruments which led to three cancelled operations.
“Sometimes we do have to rearrange operations due to unforeseen circumstances.
“We work closely with our partners and the instrument manufactures to ensure all our surgical instruments are maintained, cleaned and available for surgeries.
“Our patients are our priority; therefore, if we are unable to safely perform an operation we will reschedule.
"We work closely with our partners and the instrument manufactures to ensure all our surgical instruments are maintained, cleaned and available for surgeries.
"We monitor every theatre list carefully and follow the national WHO checklist so that any issue are reported and learnt from.”
