Health chiefs need £16.5 million for a new electrical sub-station at Swansea's Morriston Hospital because two existing ones are "at direct risk of failure", a finance chief said. Darren Griffiths said the new one would also ensure ventilation in the hospital's sterilisation and decontamination unit (HSDU) was compliant with the relevant guidelines - at present ventilation is below 50% of the required levels.
Mr Griffiths, Swansea Bay University Health Board's director of finance and performance, told colleagues at a meeting that the £16.5 million cost factored in inflation but that getting work under way would be better sooner rather than later. "We need to keep the lights on and the machinery working," he said, introducing the report.
The report before the board said the two substations - substation 3 and 4 - were installed in the 1980s, were no longer compliant with current British standards, and were at risk of overloading their electrical supply. "If substation 3 or 4 were to fail it would disrupt Morriston’s theatres and theatres recovery areas and radiology services," it said. You can get more Swansea news and other story updates straight to your inbox by subscribing to our newsletters here.
