Victoria General leak that forced hospital heating shutdown repaired

The Nova Scotia Health Authority says repairs on the latest problems at Halifax'sVictoria General Hospital are complete.

There was no heat in radiators inroomson several floors on the north wing of the VG building after a series of leaks was noticed on Tuesday.

Problems extended from the 11th floor down, according to operations director Victoria Sullivan.

She said the most serious leak was on the sixth floor.It also led to the closure of a section of a chemotherapy drug preparation area on that floor.

Everton MacLean, speaking for the Nova Scotia Health Authority, said repairs were made to the heating system before midnight Wednesday. Crews then had tobleed the radiators.

No complaints about heat

During the shutdown,staff increased hot air flowing through a duct system that runs through corridors and the hospital's central section to provide heat to patients' rooms.

MacLean saidthere were no inpatientbeds in the affected area so no patients were moved as a result of the problem. He saidsome people attending appointments at the hospital could find their rooms cooler than normal today.

He saidthere were no reports of complaints about heat, as of last night.

A part of the chemotherapy drug preparation area is still in use and staff have been working with reduced space, MacLean said.

There is no timeline for the repairs in the chemotherapy area, although MacLeanexpects it to be done "soon." He said, in the meantime, chemo drugs are still being prepared.

This is just the latest in a series of problems at the hospital.This fall, a pipe burst in theCentennial Building, severely damaging two floors.

'Doesn't come as a surprise'

The province's health minister, Leo Glavine, said news of this week'sleak"doesn't come as a surprise."

"We, all in Nova Scotia, are well aware of the deficiencies of the Centennial Building in particular. But the VG, having been opened in 1947, is again, you know, past it's probably best life cycle," he said.

Glavine saidsafety of patients and staff isalways a priority, and he has confidence in the "rigorous" precautions and tests done to uphold those standards.

"Fortunately, in the last couple of incidents, we didn't have patients directly impacted."

January will be a busy month forVictoria General-related discussions. By mid-month, Glavinesaida general plan on the hospital's future will be presented to him.

"Thenit will go to a group of sub-specialists, who put details in around the plan," Glavine said.

On Jan. 21, provincial health ministers will meet with federal Health Minister Jane Philpottto cover "a number of outstanding issues."

Glavine saidpartnering with the federal government to fund the Victoria General rebuild project will be part of those discussions.