Victoria General leak that forced hospital heating shutdown repaired
Leaks first reported Tuesday, which led to closure of chemo drug preparation area on 6th floor
The Nova Scotia Health Authority says repairs on the latest problems at Halifax's Victoria General Hospital are complete.
There was no heat in radiators in rooms on several floors on the north wing of the VG building after a series of leaks was noticed on Tuesday.
Problems extended from the 11th floor down, according to operations director Victoria Sullivan.
She said the most serious leak was on the sixth floor. It also led to the closure of a section of a chemotherapy drug preparation area on that floor.
Everton MacLean, speaking for the Nova Scotia Health Authority, said repairs were made to the heating system before midnight Wednesday. Crews then had to bleed the radiators.
No complaints about heat
During the shutdown, staff increased hot air flowing through a duct system that runs through corridors and the hospital's central section to provide heat to patients' rooms.
MacLean said there were no inpatient beds in the affected area so no patients were moved as a result of the problem. He said some people attending appointments at the hospital could find their rooms cooler than normal today.
He said there were no reports of complaints about heat, as of last night.
A part of the chemotherapy drug preparation area is still in use and staff have been working with reduced space, MacLean said.
There is no timeline for the repairs in the chemotherapy area, although MacLean expects it to be done "soon." He said, in the meantime, chemo drugs are still being prepared.
This is just the latest in a series of problems at the hospital. This fall, a pipe burst in the Centennial Building, severely damaging two floors.
'Doesn't come as a surprise'
The province's health minister, Leo Glavine, said news of this week's leak "doesn't come as a surprise."
"We, all in Nova Scotia, are well aware of the deficiencies of the Centennial Building in particular. But the VG, having been opened in 1947, is again, you know, past it's probably best life cycle," he said.
Glavine said safety of patients and staff is always a priority, and he has confidence in the "rigorous" precautions and tests done to uphold those standards.
"Fortunately, in the last couple of incidents, we didn't have patients directly impacted."
January will be a busy month for Victoria General-related discussions. By mid-month, Glavine said a general plan on the hospital's future will be presented to him.
"Then it will go to a group of sub-specialists, who put details in around the plan," Glavine said.
On Jan. 21, provincial health ministers will meet with federal Health Minister Jane Philpott to cover "a number of outstanding issues."
Glavine said partnering with the federal government to fund the Victoria General rebuild project will be part of those discussions.