The Upper Bann Assembly Member said afterwards:
“The Chair, Chief Executive and Medical Director of the Belfast Trust were asked at the Health Committee last week if there were any other safety concerns not yet in the public domain that the Committee should perhaps be advised of. They denied that there were. This afternoon however, the Minister has confirmed that NIFRS has raised significant fire safety issues at the Royal Victoria Hospital including patient beds blocking emergency fire exits. These problems have not emerged in the last few days, and I understand concerns have extended back at least a couple of years.
The RVH is our largest hospital with many of Northern Ireland’s regional services. These revelations raise questions over patient and staff safety, and the potential impact on the delivery of acute services and waiting times.
I want to know when the Department and Minister were aware of these issues and what actions have been taken in response. Has relocating patients to other parts of the RVH site or to other hospitals within the Belfast Trust been contemplated? I am also interested in whether NIFRS concerns over the RVH site extend beyond simply the access to fire exits.
NIFRS will initially provide advice and assistance informally in these situations, allowing an organisation time to address any problems. Formal action is only considered subsequently, if there is a failure to respond effectively.
The very fact that an Enforcement Notice would be a consideration indicates the RVH failings are towards the upper end of the scale for concerns the Fire Service encounters, with the NIFRS Fire Safety Enforcement Policy referencing ‘the premises risk rating is high or very high where there is a clear breach of the law and serious deficiencies recorded’.
Poor management and bad housekeeping are also quoted as factors which can lead to an Enforcement Notice being pursued. While inspectors initiate decisions about enforcement action, consultation will take place with NIFRS senior management before proceeding.
I understand the Health and Safety Executive have also been notified about the RVH situation. Paragraph 2.5 of the NIFRS Enforcement Policy describes the circumstances when this might be required, “Where other Health and Safety enforcing authorities may have a regulatory interest in particular premises, details will be forwarded to the appropriate agency. For example if apparently dangerous conditions or practices are noted in a workplace, NIFRS will forward details to the Health and Safety Executive”