Following the shocking fire at Southampton General Hospital yesterday, I know many local residents are understandably worried about what this means for appointments, visits to loved ones, and the safety of patients and staff.
First and foremost, I want to reassure everyone that I have been told that no one was hurt as a result of the fire. Thanks to the swift response of courageous hospital staff and our incredible emergency services, patients were moved to safety and the situation was brought under control quickly. I want to put on record my personal and heartfelt thanks to everyone involved for their professionalism and calm under such intense pressure. You are the very best of us and we are all hugely grateful to you for your bravery.
I know that many local residents are anxious about the situation, and so I have put together a brief Q&A to hopefully help with any concerns:
What do I do if myself or a loved one has been effected?
The hospital has got a dedicated team of staff in the Patient Support Hub working hard to recover belongings, when it is safe to do so, and making contact with next of kin. The Patient Support Hub can be contacted by calling 0800 484 0135 or by emailing PFSH@uhs.nhs.uk.
What is the situation within A&E?
The Emergency Department at the hospital remains closed this morning, unless your condition is life or limb threatening. Alternative provision of urgent care can be accessed at the Royal South Hants hospital in Southampton and (further away) at Lymington Hospital. If in doubt however, seek advice from your GP, local pharmacies or call 111.
What does this mean for upcoming appointments?
Understandably, a significant amount of elective surgery and some outpatient appointments have had to be cancelled today. The hospital has said that all patients affected by this have been contacted directly and, if you have an appointment and have not been contacted, you should attend as planned.
Moving forward, the hospital has confirmed that the vast majority of appointments will go ahead as planned but, inevitably, an incident of this kind will have an ongoing impact. The hospital has been clear that patients effected will be contacted. If you are at all unsure or have any concerns, I would encourage you to contact the hospital team responsible for your care to double-check arrangements.
What about visiting friends or family in hospital?
Thankfully, visiting has today resumed as usual, but the hospital is advising that loved ones contact individual wards for details of opening hours.
Were people harmed?
Mercifully, no one was hurt and there were no fatalities as a result of the fire. Thanks to decisive action taken by the heroic staff on hand, patients was quickly moved to safety as soon as the fire broke out. The cause of the fire is still being investigated and I will share more information as I receive it.
I am staying in close contact with the hospital trust and will continue to support their clear communication with patients and families as the situation stabilises.
I will continue to do everything in my power to help during this unprecedented situation, working with the trust and speaking to the relevant ministers to ensure our hospital – one of the very best in the country – has everything it needs to recover
Our local NHS staff have once again shown incredible dedication, in the face of huge adversity, and they deserve our profound thanks.
If you have been personally affected, need help navigating next steps, or if there is anything at all me and my team can do to help, please do get in touch via satvir.kaur.mp@parliament.uk or on 02382 546 357.