Antrim Hospital had to remove 11 beds from wards to comply with fire safety regulations following a recent inspection, it has been stated.
The Northern Health and Social Care Trust board heard at a meeting on Thursday morning (October 24) that the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS) issued a direction after “additional beds were found to cause obstruction to an escape route which in the event of a fire could hinder evacuation and present risk to patient safety,” a director told members.
Gillian Traub, director of operations, went on to say that the decision was made to cap the number of beds in a ward to meet legislative requirements “causing us some concern in terms of reduced capacity”.
The director stated that action was taken quickly and compliance has been demonstrated.
Glenn Houston, a non-executive director, who was chairing the meeting, said: “That is reassuring to know.”
Gerard McGivern, also a non-executive director, commented that hospital services are “under extreme pressure”.
He described it as “another indicator of pressures we have to deal with”.
“It is good we are now compliant. We have to acknowledge and take responsibility. It will have an impact of services we provide,” he noted.
A spokesperson for the Northern Health and Social Care Trust said:
“Following an inspection from the NI Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS), the Trust has had to step down 11 additional beds in wards which were being used for the admission of lower acuity patients across Antrim Area Hospital.
“In order for us to achieve compliance with NIFRS regulations, it is necessary to stop using these 11 additional beds to maintain clear access for evacuation in the event of a fire.
“The use of additional beds is set out in the Trust’s Full Capacity Protocol as part of the risk management measures taken when the hospital is operating at full capacity. Due to continued ongoing pressures on the hospital’s Emergency Department, additional beds are regularly used to reduce overcrowding in the Emergency Department.
“We are continuing to explore measures to help alleviate pressures as part of our site management and risk assessment protocols.”
A spokesperson for NIFRS said that an action plan was issued at the beginning of October which has since been met.