Hiqa: Hospital operating theatres not fit for purpose

A major acute hospital in Cork continues to use operating theatres identified as not being fit for purpose by the Health Information and Quality Authority.

The South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital addressed maintenance issues in the four theatres identified by Hiqa earlier this year but the “substantial problem” of poor infrastructure and design remains.

Despite improvements made by the hospital, the four theatres do not comply with international standards and design specifications needed for a safe surgical environment, Hiqa found.