The Leytonstone hospital experienced a loss of power after yesterday’s torrential downpour, reports Victoria Munro, Local Democracy Reporter… […]By Waltham Forest Echo

The Leytonstone hospital experienced a loss of power after yesterday’s torrential downpour, reports Victoria Munro, Local Democracy Reporter…

Whipps Cross Hospital suffered a power outage and “serious damage” to the building after rain flooded its basement yesterday.

Barts Health NHS Trust, which runs the hospital, called a major incident and has been forced to move 100 inpatients from affected wards, including to some of its other four hospitals.

At 9pm last night, after hours of torrential rain, the hospital asked people requiring emergency care to use another A&E “if possible” and continues to divert ambulances today.

A Barts spokesperson explained all planned surgeries and outpatient appointments at the hospital today have been cancelled, although it hopes those later in the week will go ahead as planned.

They said: “We cancelled all planned surgery and outpatient appointments for today, and are diverting ambulances while we work hard to clean up affected areas of the hospital.

“We are working closely with other hospitals across the Barts Health group to maintain patient care, and asking the public to check the latest visiting arrangements for each hospital on our website before coming to any site.”

The hospital’s emergency department and maternity unit remain open for walk-ins, although patients are still asked to travel to alternative hospitals where possible.

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