Unpleasant odour sparks code yellow at Royal Hobart Hospital

UPDATED: The health union says the Royal Hobart Hospital is a “nightmare” after an internal emergency was triggered while the facility was at its highest escalation.

The Royal Hobart Hospital Emergency Department. Picture: MATHEW FARRELL

UPDATED: THE health union on Tuesday labelled the Royal Hobart Hospital a “nightmare” after an internal emergency was triggered while the facility was at its highest escalation level.

Emergency Department patients were moved to other areas of the hospital and non-critical presentations redirected to their GP because of a plumbing issue within the facility.

RHH executive director of services Susan Gannon said the source of the problem – which shut part of the emergency department and left a “severe odour” – was believed to be a blocked grease trap.

It was announced about 11am and declared resolved about 4.30pm.

The code yellow, or internal emergency, was triggered while the RHH was operating at its highest possible patient escalation level. It remained at level four on Tuesday evening.

Health and Community Services Union state secretary Tim Jacobson described the situation as a “nightmare”.

“This is the worst possible situation that anyone could ever dream of,” Mr Jacobson.

“This is the sort of circumstance we’ve been worried about for some time.

“When you’re at a level four [patient escalation] and there’s another emergency the system comes to a complete standstill.”

Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation state secretary Emily Shepherd said the plumbing issue added weight to calls for funding towards stage two of the RHH redevelopment.

Ms Gannon confirmed the Tasmania Fire Service attended the scene.

“Staff are to be commended for their diligence and assistance in managing the situation

and for their commitment to patient safety and care,” she said.

“These unexpected incidents always place an added level of pressure on a hospital, but

patient safety and care remain the highest priority.”.

EARLIER: A PLUMBING issue has triggered an internal emergency at the Royal Hobart Hospital.

Executive director of services Susan Gannon today confirmed patients and staff had been moved from the Emergency Department to other areas of the hospital after the code yellow was declared.

“About 11.30am an unpleasant odour was detected in a section of the Emergency Department,” she said.

“The source is believed to be a blocked grease trap and contractors have been called in to rectify the issue as quickly as possible.”

Patients with non-critical needs were instructed to see their GP or other providers.

Patients with critical needs will be trigaed and treated as appropriate, Ms Gannon said.

The hospital is also managing at level four — the highest level — of its patient management protocol.