Bosses at NHS Lothian have been issued multiple enforcement notices by fire chiefs after safety tests at their flagship hospital, Edinburgh Live can reveal.
Seven notices have been issued to the health board by the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service following concerns at the city’s Royal Infirmary.
Such notices are issued by the SFRS when there is an “urgent fire risk” detected. Bosses at NHS Lothian are now pursuing legal action against the fire service – requesting more time to address its requirements.
The SFRS’s senior area commander for the city says all hospitals and care settings receive an annual Fire Safety Audit and where deficiencies in fire safety are identified, they have authority to request urgent actions.
It is understood seven separate enforcement notices, which are one of the most serious outcomes of an audit, were issued regarding fire safety provisions at the hospital.
The health board has since responded by saying it “welcomes the enforcement notices served to NHS Lothian” and their PFI providers, Consort and Equans. The board also confirmed it is pursuing legal action in order to “request more time and clarifications of SFRS’s requirements.”