A major hospital was left without power for 70 minutes after backup generators failed during a severe storm, prompting warnings it should serve as a wake-up call for the NHS across the UK.
Forth Valley Royal Hospital (FVRH), in Larbert near Falkirk, suffered the blackout during Storm Eowyn’s red danger-to-life weather warning in January.
Two whistleblowers, who were on shift that day, have told Sky News it was “scary” as well as “horrendous” and allege patients were “at risk” during what has been officially classed as a “major infrastructure failure”.
Computers used for monitoring medications went down, phone lines failed, and ventilators relied on internal short-life batteries to keep critically ill patients breathing.
NHS Forth Valley said no patients were harmed and the cause of the incident was a power surge that caused the electricity supply to trip.
Bosses said maintenance on the generators was up to date but a review on how to avoid a repeat incident was under way.
‘It can’t happen again’
One nurse, with decades of experience, contacted Sky News over concerns about how the crisis was handled on the day.
They said: “We were getting on with our shift and the lights went out. That can happen, but the generators normally kick in right away but that day they didn’t.
“It was pretty horrendous. It was quite scary. That is the first time in my career that that’s ever happened. It can’t happen again.
“It is a hospital and staff and patients were really at risk when that [happened]. We really do need reassurance that that can’t happen again.”
Another whistleblower expressed concern, saying: “All of the security on the doors also wasn’t working so the doors were automatically open. None of the wards were locked.
“It’s absolutely horrendous for patient confidence within the NHS.”
A report, seen by Sky News, compiled in the aftermath of the incident suggested neighbouring NHS boards were on standby to help, if required.
The document, authored by NHS Forth Valley Director of Acute Services Garry Fraser, states “no identified risks were highlighted with no interruption to the continuity of care, with staff working together to support patients and each other during this very challenging time”.
Mr Fraser said: “No patients required to be manually ventilated… there was no patient harm recorded as a result of the infrastructure failure.”
The health board refused to do an interview with Sky News.
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‘It has to be a wake-up call’
FVRH has more than 800 beds. It describes itself as one of the most modern hospital estates in Europe.
SNP MSP Michelle Thomson, who represents Falkirk East, suggested the incident must act as a wake-up call.
She said: “The observation I would make is after the 2008 credit crunch, the Bank of England put in processes to stress test all the banks.
“Maybe it is time for governments, both UK and Scottish, to put in place stress tests for our national institutions so that as we get more of these kinds of events there is a higher threshold to meet.”
She added: “It has to be a wake-up call. I hope that every other hospital and health board area is looking at what happened and comparing and contrasting it with their own processes and procedures.”
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Health leaders elsewhere in the UK have joined calls to urge other hospitals to review their systems, especially in light of the chaos at Heathrow Airport last week.
The runway was ground to a halt due to a major fire at a nearby electricity substation.
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NHS Confederation speaks for the healthcare system in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Chief executive Matthew Taylor told Sky News: “Your report, plus what happened at Heathrow last week, will, I think, lead many hospital managers to have another think about energy security.
“What has happened in Scotland is a one-off, but actually it points to a more systemic set of risks which we are having to deal with on a regular basis in the health service.”
