Critical incident at hospital as surgery ‘paused’
Hundreds of surgeries were canceled and a critical incident was declared due to a shortage of surgical instruments in the hospital.
Arrowe Park Hospital in Birkenhead, Wirral, was forced to pause elective procedures last week due to technical problems at its Sterile Services Department, which uses special machines to sterilize surgical equipment.
An internal staff email seen by the BBC said the trust had purchased new surgical equipment and borrowed tools from neighboring hospitals to alleviate the shortage.
A spokesman for Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (WUTH) said “robust plans” were in place to manage the incident.
Sources have told the BBC that operating theaters at the new multi-million pound elective surgery center at Clatterbridge Hospital, also run by the trust, have not been used for days.
‘Tough decision’
An internal email sent on Wednesday afternoon told staff: “Patient safety is always our top priority and last week we made the difficult decision to pause elective activity while the matter is reviewed.
“A critical incident was declared at the Foundation yesterday afternoon and we have command and control structures in place to manage this incident.”
The trust also “will continue to seek mutual assistance from Trusts in the system”, the email said.
Arrowe Park’s sterilization unit is undergoing a major renovation, according to reports ahead of the board meeting on October 1.
A report to the trust board said the project started in March and is scheduled to be completed in February 2026.
The statement said: “The project will be carried out in two phases to ensure the department remains operational with minimal disruption.”
The department would receive new machinery including disinfectors and sterilizers, a replacement “reverse osmosis plant” and improvements to walls, ceilings and doors.
A spokesman for the Trust added: “We have robust plans to manage the incident and are currently seeking support from other Trusts to minimize the impact on patients.”
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