Inspectors raised “serious concerns” about the condition of a hospital during an unannounced visit in the summer.
When the Healthcare Improvement Scotland team visited Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy, Fife, they found the older part of the building was in a “very poor condition”.
They noted “damaged wooden surfaces, flooring and walls”, with one ward in a particularly bad condition.
A broken pipe in a patient toilet had leaked through a wall and caused holes in the plaster, exposing a service shaft behind.
The inspectors said the toilet had been blocked off but senior managers were not aware of the extent of the disrepair.
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Donna Maclean, chief inspector at Healthcare Improvement Scotland, said: “During the inspection, we saw that staff were responsive to patients’ needs, and patients and visitors were complimentary about staff and the care they provided.
“Staff told us they felt supported and listened to by senior managers.
“However, we were required to raise serious concerns about the condition of the healthcare environment within the older building of the hospital known as ‘Phase 1’, which was in very poor condition, with one ward significantly worse than other areas.
“We had concerns about the oversight, communication and escalation process in relation to the condition of this environment.
“We informed senior hospital managers of our serious concerns and they responded quickly to assess the risks and took immediate action, including moving inpatients to another ward.”
The inspectors praised the NHS Fife teams’ openness and set an action plan to address their concerns.
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