Statement: Severn Trent

28/08/2008

A Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust spokesperson said:

"The Trust recognises that this period was a difficult time for everyone concerned and all staff and agencies generally worked well together."

"Staff within the Trust managed extremely well during the flooding of 2007 and catering and estates/facilities staff pulled out all the stops to distribute bottled water around our hospitals. We would like to highlight, however, that this was not something that Severn Trent were expected to carry out.

"Due to the huge number of additional water bottles, staff were asked if they could take some plastic bottles home for recycling to ease pressure on hospital waste facilities.

"Severn Trent did not assist in the cleaning of our water systems at Cheltenham General Hospital and our staff ensured that the ‘super chlorination’ processes were carried out in the weeks following the flooding.

"The water tanker supplies at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital were not able to meet the needs of a large acute hospital with tankers taking a long time to empty their load.

"We have evaluated the actions taken with all agencies involved and have put measures in place should a situation such as the flooding, occur again."

For more information, please contact Ria Morrison, Communications Officer, on 08454 223563 or ria.morrison@glos.nhs.uk