‘Weeks to months’ before all services at fire-damaged South-East hospital resume

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said that it will take “weeks to months” before all services at Wexford General Hospital have fully resumed.

“I had a chance to visit the hospital here to see the damage and unfortunately, it is extensive. It’s going to be weeks, months before the hospital is back up and running fully,” he said.

“But that is the objective, and I’ve given everyone here the assurance that the government will do everything we can, everything humanly possible to support the efforts to get this hospital up and running, full service as soon as it can be done.

“But with the best will in the world, that’s likely to be weeks to months at this stage.”

He said that “large parts” of the hospital had been affected by fire or water damage.

“It is going to require significant construction works, including electrical works, before all those beds can be brought back into use.”

It comes as maternity services at Wexford General Hospital resumed on Friday, days after the major blaze broke out in the plant room on the roof of the building on Wednesday afternoon.

It forced the evacuation of 200 patients, who were then transferred to other hospitals and healthcare facilities.

Outpatient appointments are expected to return on Monday, but all elective procedures are still cancelled.

Speaking to reporters outside the hospital on Friday, general manager Linda O’Leary said that the first baby had been born at the hospital since the fire.

“We recommenced our maternity services this morning. I’m very happy to report we’ve had our first baby born and safely and well this afternoon,” she said.

The emergency department also remains closed; people are being diverted to Kilkenny, Waterford an St Vincent’s hospitals.

“We will be working to a phased reopening when we are assured by the technical experts that it is safe to do so,” Ms O’Leary said.

There is as of yet no indication when this will be completed, but assessors are still onsite examining the area where the fire is understood to have began.

In the short term, modular builds like a mobile endoscopy unit may be brought in to ensure a fast return to services for the south-east area, with full repairs for the longer term.

Staff from Wexford General are treating patients in public and private hospitals in the area, as the Taoiseach pledged the Government’s full support to ensure the hospital returned to full service as soon as possible.

He said: “One thing that did hit me going into some of the wards is that Mary Celeste feeling where people had left belongings behind: everything from food to personal effects that people had left behind because they had to evacuate so quickly.

“But obviously, efforts are being made now to make sure that everyone gets their belongings and they’re being either sent to people’s homes or to whichever hospital they’ve been transferred to.”

Ms O’Leary said that staff were professional and courteous during the evacuation, despite both patients and staff feeling “vulnerable”.

“We tried to assure as best we could that we were moving to a place of safety,” she said.

The Taoiseach also praised the staff at the hospital who “sprung into action” when the fire started.

“Every hospital has an evacuation plan. You never think you’re going to have to use it. And what was used here, it did work really well. Nobody was injured, there was no loss of life. I think we were blessed in that regard,” he added.