HEALTH bosses have launched a probe into the safety of revolving doors at South Tyneside District Hospital.
It comes as an inquest is due to be held into a man’s death, which happened after he suffered a fracture while using the door at the hospital’s outpatients department.
The incident, involving a man in his 70s who is believed to have fractured his leg, happened more than a year ago.
But it was followed recently by a second accident, involving another revolving door at the main entrance of the hospital, in Harton Lane, South Shields.
Health bosses are now investigating if the doors need to be upgraded beyond national safety standards.
Both doors have been adapted while the safety probe continues, leading to complaints about the cold from hospital patients.
One patient told the Gazette: “I was visiting the hospital for treatment this week and was told by a staff member that they had to keep the doors open, because an old man had died after being hurt in one of the revolving doors.
“This means cold winds are blowing through into the hospital café, but it seems the doors will stay that way until the inquest is held.”
South Tyneside coroner Terence Carney confirmed that an inquest into the death of the elderly man injured in the revolving hospital door is still pending.
He added: “There is an ongoing investigation into the death of a patient after exiting one of the doors.”
Steve Jamieson, South Tyneside NHS Foundation Trust’s director of corporate services, said: “An elderly gentleman sustained a fracture in an accident, which happened more than a year ago, in the revolving doors of the outpatients department at South Tyneside District Hospital and, tragically, he later died.
“At the time, we met with the relatives of the gentleman and discussed the circumstances in detail with them.
“We launched a full investigation, which assured the Trust that the doors, which are of a high quality design, are of a type fitted in many hospitals across the country and which conform to British Standards Institute (BSI) quality standards, were in full working order and were being used in accordance with the manufacturer’s guidance.
“More recently, there was a minor accident at the revolving doors of the hospital’s main entrance, which are of the same design.
“We decided to put the doors in both places on automatic slide –opening from the centre on approach – while we fully explored whether there was potentially a need for any modifications exceeding BSI standards.
“In taking this decision, we were aware that it was likely to mean that the café area could be affected by the cold, and we are looking at ways of reducing this problem.
“We apologise for any inconvenience but, ultimately, the safety of our patients, visitors and staff is of paramount importance.
“We can confirm that the coroner is holding an inquest into the death arising from the earlier incident but the decision to temporarily change the function of the doors is not directly related to this.”
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