NHS Grampian stops cancelling operations after surgical tools contaminated

NHS Grampian is no longer cancelling operations after an “unknown substance” was found on sterile surgical tools following processing.

After months of disruption, the health board said it’s almost “business as usual” in operating theatres.

More than 1,400 appointments, including surgeries, were cancelled in Aberdeen after the Foresterhill Central Decontamination Unit (CDU), which sterilises and prepares surgical instruments, was taken out of use when a fault was discovered in October.

In total, 739 dental outpatient appointments and 753 elective surgical procedures were postponed, with the health board apologising to those who have been affected.

On Tuesday, NHS Grampian said it is no longer postponing operations.

The health board added that many of the cancelled operations have now been rebooked, while work continues to ensure these are completed as soon as possible.

“We’re no longer postponing operations , and the day-to-day impact on patients as a result of this work is minimal now, though we in no way underestimate the significant impact on patients who have had operations and dental procedures postponed in recent months,” acute medical director for NHS Grampian Paul Bachoo said.

“We reiterate our apologies to those affected.”

Mr Bachoo said NHS Grampian is operating at around 80% of its usual decontamination capacity, which he said is translating to about 90% of surgical theatre utilisation.

“I’d say it’s almost business as usual in theatres,” Mr Bachoo said.

“With much more kit available, we know exactly what can go ahead further in advance now and the processes to manage that are very streamlined.

“We’re using theatre capacity differently – with surgeons carrying out a number of different procedures rather than more of the same on the one day, for example – and that’s really working well.”

In the meantime, work continues to refurbish the Foresterhill CDU and restore full sterilising capacity.

Thanks to additional building and utility requirements, NHS Grampian said the timeline for re-opening the facility now runs into 2026, with an end-of-January opening now expected.

“We’re working through a really complex programme of work as quickly as possible,” Alan Wilson, director of infrastructure and sustainability for NHS Grampian, said.

“The installation and commissioning of the new washer disinfector machines will now begin more than two weeks later than we had originally hoped.

“This means the programme will unfortunately be delayed into January and we are working closely with contractors to progress this as quickly as possible. We recognise the ongoing impact on our patients of any further delays and also on staff who are desperate to treat their patients.”

The Foresterhill team’s manual washing process, which was put in place to support the decontamination effort before equipment is processed elsewhere, continues to operate from a temporary location in the University of Aberdeen’s Life Sciences Innovation Building.