Almost 1,400 NHS Grampian appointments cancelled after 'unknown substance' found on sterile surgical tools

Almost 1,400 appointments, including surgeries, have been cancelled in Aberdeen after an unknown substance was discovered on sterile surgical tools after they had been processed.

NHS Grampian revealed hundreds of patients have had appointments and procedures cancelled more than a month after the fault with the Foresterhill Central Decontamination Unit – which sterilises and prepares surgical instruments – was discovered.

So far, 702 dental outpatient appointments and 683 elective surgical procedures have been postponed, with the health board apologising to those who have been affected.

NHS Grampian is continuing to focus on emergency operations, caesarean sections and cancer care while the unit is closed.

However, Paul Bachoo, acute medical director for NHS Grampian, said capacity is gradually increasing.

He said the “vast majority” of surgical instruments which required re-processing have now been sterilised.

“This is allowing for more capacity in terms of washing the instruments theatre teams are using on a daily basis,” Mr Bachoo said.

“This means we are now very gradually beginning to increase activity beyond our most urgent cases and will continue to scale up as decontamination capacity allows.”

He added: “Some patients who were postponed have now been rescheduled.”

NHS Grampian said the unit remains closed for now, but health bosses have insisted that work is “ongoing at pace” to reopen the facility and reduce the impact on patients.

The health board is working with national partners NHS Scotland Assure to clean and replace the ductwork at the facility to improve ventilation.

It is also running tests to determine the source of the substance discovered on instruments during processing.

“This is a complex and comprehensive programme of works for a specialist facility which does a very important job,” Alan Wilson, director of infrastructure and sustainability for NHS Grampian said.

“There are a lot of moving parts in the project – we have already installed new ductwork and insulation, and are upgrading the air handling unit, improving the supply of compressed air to our machines and replacing some areas of ceiling.”

However, Mr Wilson said there is “still a lot of work to do” to repair and replace flooring, partitions and hatches, bring a purified water plant into service, install new washer disinfectors, rebalance air and water pressures, and service unit sterilisers.

It is understood it will take at least four weeks to revalidate equipment from the unit once any issues are fixed.

Another decontamination unit at Woodend in Aberdeen remains open.