Fire-hit hospital opens stopgap diagnostic units

A hospital that suffered extensive damage from a fire in February has opened temporary facilities to replace its destroyed endoscopy unit.

The electrical fire started in the unit at University Hospital Southampton (UHS) early on 1 February.

The hospital said two new mobile endoscopy units would remain until 2028 while repairs are carried out.

Work is also under way on land at Adanac Park, beside the M271, to open three further mobile endoscopy units in June.

Andy Hyett, chief operating officer at UHS NHS Foundation Trust, said: "Bringing patients who require these important diagnostic tests back to UHS is a real milestone in our recovery.

"This is the first step ... while the trust works on rebuilding the fire-damaged area and creating a permanent home for endoscopy services in the future."

One of the first patients to use the temporary unit, April Lancashire, said she was "really grateful" for the new facilities.

"Obviously I would have gone wherever I needed to go, but it's an additional layer of anxiety. It would have been a longer wait than having it back here," she added.

The fire started at about 05:30 GMT and led to 500 patients being moved to safety.

It took firefighters more than four hours to bring the blaze under control. No-one was injured.

Several wards were damaged, some heart and cancer operations were postponed and many diagnostic appointments were moved to neighbouring hospitals.

Emergency, inpatient and therapeutic endoscopies have continued at UHS in repurposed rooms.

UHS said it was still short of 140 beds a result of the fire, with part of its West Wing out of action and some services disrupted.

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