Patients at one of Britain’s 1^st Private Finance Initiative hospital have been subjected to ‘likely catastrophic risk’, due to dangerous infections from operating theatres being spread into the rest of the building because the PFI contractor installed a faulty ventilation system.

In internal papers which were passed to Jesse Norman, the Local MP consultants engaged by Hereford’s County Hospital have stated all of its operating theatres have ‘significant ventilation deficiencies’ which ‘are associated with the increased infection rates and outbreaks of airborne diseases’ within the hospital with patient undergoing operations also being placed at risk of contamination. Chief executive of the hospital’s parent body, Derek Smith, described the failings as an ‘extreme risk to patients’ safety’.

In July 2013, the hospital patient death rate for the Wye Valley trust was 11 per cent above the English average, as measured by the NHS’s standard mortality indicator. The hospital stated that Mercia and its operating contractor, Sodexo, have said the faulty theatres could now be used safely having undertaken “remedial work”.

“We regret that operations had to be postponed, but all patients who needed urgent operations were treated and we have put in place measures to ensure that postponed operations are now undertaken,” a spokesman said. “The Trust, together with Mercia/Sodexo, will continue to closely monitor the ventilation performance to ensure that it continues to be safe to use the theatres.”

The spokesman said that the fire enforcement notice was withdrawn last week after improvements were made. She briefly mentioned that the gas emissions problems in the maternity unit were being fixed and that all but one of the delivery rooms were now backin use. She said no mothers have been affected by the gas, only staff. A spokesman for Mercia Healthcare declined to comment.