AN airconditioning unit at Shoalhaven Hospital which failed during recent hot weather has been inspected by an independent engineering expert, despite the Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District claiming there was nothing wrong with it.
The unit failed when temperatures rose into the 40s, putting certain parts of the storage area for theatres outside Australian standards.
A number of medications and some equipment had to be destroyed.
Despite a spokesperson for Shoalhaven District Memorial Hospital saying at the time there was “nothing wrong with the airconditioning unit; it just went up in temperature as most airconditioners on that day did”, it is understood there were further problems on the weekend of the tornado that battered the city.
It has been revealed that there is an ongoing problem with the system, with claims it is still not fully functioning and, as a result, some surgical procedures have had to be conducted in smaller operating theatres.
The Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District has confirmed an external engineering expert has reviewed the unit and a comprehensive report was being developed.
The ISLHD would not release any other details other than saying the engineering expert is independent of the health service.
The ISLHD said Shoalhaven District Memorial Hospital had in place a stringent process of monitoring air temperature in parts of the hospital that required constant levels.
“Like all equipment, airconditioning systems throughout the hospital are regularly monitored, maintained and repaired as required,” the spokesperson said.
