Impact of hospital fire 'not over' says top doctor

Senior doctor says a large hospital fire which led to the evacuation of more than 500 patients "will create significant challenges" for all NHS services across a region.

An electrical blaze broke out on the endoscopy unit at University Hospital Southampton at about 05:30 GMT on Sunday.

It was brought under control after four hours, with 502 patients moved to different areas of the hospital or alternative facilities in Hampshire.

Dr Lara Alloway, NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight's Chief Medical Officer, thanked the "amazing efforts" of emergency services but warned "the impact of the fire is not over".

Alloway said: "The long-term knock-on effects of the loss of bed space in Southampton, and the increased demand at other hospitals as a result, will last for some time and be felt much wider than the Southampton area.

"This will create significant challenges for all our services at what is already one of the busiest times of the year for the NHS."

No-one was hurt in the fire, but the endoscopy unit was destroyed, and work is now under way to find an alternative solution for patients who rely on the service.

University Hospital Southampton said it is currently operating with around 200 fewer beds than usual, forcing the cancellation of some planned surgeries.

Chief executive David French estimated that repairing the damage will cost tens of millions of pounds.

The hospital remains open as the region's major trauma centre, continuing to provide critical care - including cardiac and cancer services - although a small number of procedures were postponed over the weekend.

You can follow BBC Hampshire & Isle of Wight on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.