NHS Tayside provides the decontamination and sterilisation of surgical equipment for NHS Fife.
Following damage to the ceiling in the Central Decontamination Unit at Ninewells Hospital, this service has been temporarily suspended.
NHS Tayside's business continuity plans have been enacted and NHS Fife is continuing to work with NHS Tayside and other health boards to secure additional decontamination capacity, with some surgical trays going to neighbouring boards for sterilisation.
As a result, NHS Fife has had to postpone 13 elective procedures today and with contingency plans now in place for tomorrow (Wednesday 12th April) we are confident that we can minimise any further disruption.
Claire Dobson, NHS Fife's Director of Acute Services:
"We apologise to the small number of patients currently affected, the decision to postpone any operation is never an easy one and we will work to ensure that these appointments are rescheduled as soon as possible.
"Unfortunately, today’s decision was essential, in order to ensure sufficient clean surgical supplies were available for those with the most urgent clinical need, including medical emergencies and cancer treatments.
"We continue to work with colleagues at NHS Tayside to minimise the impact on our elective procedure programme and ask patients to continue to attend for their scheduled appointment unless they have been contacted by their clinical team"
