Power failure hits hospital

Parts of Hawke's Bay Hospital had to operate without power on Saturday. Photo / Duncan Brown

Emergency doctors needed torches to treat patients during a power outage after the hospital's back-up system failed.

An investigation is underway after intermittent power loss at Hawke's Bay Hospital on Saturday. It's believed to have been caused by a faulty automatic switch.

Some parts of the hospital were without power for 30 minutes between 11.45am and 1.04pm as the hospital's three generators were inconsistent in delivering back-up electricity.

All lifesaving equipment such as ventilators in the Intensive Care Unit continued operating "successfully" through independent battery power, Hawke's Bay District Health Board chief executive Dr Kevin Snee said.

A hospital spokesman said operating theatres were not being used at the time but some patients on dialysis machines had to be taken off early.

Staff in darker parts of the Emergency Department, which has many curtained-off cubicles, used their phones or torches to assist the emergency lighting.

Patient monitors worked on batteries. However, electronic patient boards and computers operating the electronic transfer of patients could not be used during the outage.

Lines company Unison and the DHB are investigating the incident.

Dr Snee said it was important for both organisations to have a clear understanding of what had happened, because of the possible compromise of the "effective and safe operation" of the hospital and the risk to equipment.

The DHB had been reassured it was a rare event and unlikely to happen again, he said. Staff had coped well and managed the difficult situation "with patient safety being the priority".

"It was a good reminder to everyone that we need to be prepared and have well-understood contingencies in place for when power is lost, as we never know when that may be," he said.

All areas of the hospital had contingency plans and battery power took over lifesaving equipment.

Unison customer care manager Danny Gough said only the hospital suffered the power outage. "It is very concerning to both us and the hospital and we are working closely with them," he said.

Investigations by both organisations were ongoing, with investigators reporting to the DHB's executive management team yesterday.