Peel Health Campus mould in air-conditioning causes patient evacuations

Dozens of patients at a major Australian hospital have been evacuated after black mould was discovered growing in air-conditioning ducts. 

The mould was found at Peel Health Campus in Mandurah, south of Perth, during an audit before the hospital is transferred from private back to public next year. 

Specialist medical transport vehicles were brought in to evacuate 32 patients on Saturday, more than 24 hours after the mould was discovered.

Peel Health Campus chief executive Matthew Wright told media on Saturday the mould was detected late on Thursday.

A different spokesperson for the hospital, run by Ramsay Healthcare, said it had acted ‘as quickly as possible’ to ensure the safety of patients. 

The patients are being cared for at a number of other hospitals run by Ramsay Healthcare

‘The hospital had to undertake a clinical assessment for each patient prior to transfer or discharge,’ the spokesperson told The West Australian. 

Some sections of the hospital have been closed along with parts of the emergency department, requiring ambulances to divert to nearby Fiona Stanley Hospital and Rockingham General Hospital. 

The audit, carried out by the South Metropolitan Health Service, also found three of the hospital’s four operating theatres were at risk and operations should be stopped.

Some patients were wheeled and stretchered out of the hospital and into a waiting ‘Critical Transport Team’ vehicle.

According to Healthline, black mould, which can refer to several species of fungus, can trigger allergies, cause respiratory distress and is particularly dangerous for immunocompromised people.

Mr Wright said a ‘national expert response team’ consisting of clinical experts and engineers had been called in to start remedial work ‘immediately’.

‘We have undertaken an initial disinfection of the air-conditioning system including the air-handling units and are awaiting feedback from the Environmental Health Unit about any further steps we need to take,’ he said.

‘Once we have approval, we will then implement a broader, comprehensive cleaning regime which includes disinfecting the rest of the impacted areas of the hospital.’

The mould was found on Thursday but patients were still being evacuated more than 24 hours later on Saturday afternoon (pictured is Peel Health Campus)

Health Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson said the situation was being treated with ‘an abundance of caution.’ 

‘Our information is that this has not impacted anyone’s health,’ she said.

‘But of course, the hospital holds vulnerable patients, so we treat it very seriously. We are pretty sure it is located and contained to those 32 patients that require moving.’

The relocated patients have been moved to Hollywood Private Hospital in Nedlands, Attadale Rehabilitation Hospital, Glengarry Private Hospital in Duncraig, Joondalup Health Campus, and Joondalup Private Hospital.

On Saturday morning as patients began to be evacuated, hundreds of residents attended a community forum nearby, to discuss concerns that one of the regions busiest hospitals was unsafe.

As patients began to be evacuated, hundreds of residents attended a community forum nearby, to discuss concerns that one of the regions busiest hospitals was unsafe (pictured)

WA Liberal leader Libby Mettam (right) and MP Andrew Hastie (left) addressed the forum

One nurse, Bev Ramsay, told attendees there had been numerous maintenance issues recently.

‘We had a big leak in the theatre last year, and it went right through the HEPA filter,’ Ms Ramsay said.

Liberal leader Libby Mettam scolded the McGowan government for not focusing more resources on healthcare.

‘Yesterday, we heard of nurses working 24-hour shifts,’ she said.

‘Today, patients are being diverted from Peel Health Campus. This is simply inexcusable.

‘Our State is recording the largest boom in WA history. And yet we are seeing these poor health outcomes under the McGowan Government’s watch.’