The Southern District Health Board has admitted that water was running down walls in a Dunedin Hospital theatre block after Monday's thunderstorm.
The disclosure was made to a health select committee hearing in Wellington this morning.
SDHB chief executive Chris Fleming, commissioner Kathy Grant, chief medical officer Nigel Miller, and chief operating officer Lexie O'Shea were before the committee for an annual review.
Labour MP Clare Curran tweeted from the committee room: ``Southern DHB has admitted to a parliamentary ctte that there was water running down walls on Ward 5 Theatre block after Monday's rain event.''
About 5pm on Monday, 90 minutes after the storm, the board had told the Otago Daily Times there were two leaks; one near radiology, and one in a plant room. The rain had not caused any issues, the ODT was told.
In a new statement this morning chief executive Chris Fleming said the "severe downpour'' caused "localised leaks'' in the clinical services building.
"Areas involved included two operating theatres; three anaesthetic bays that were not in use and not required for the remainder of the day; corridor areas in the sterile services area; two locations in radiology and a plant room.
"There were three procedures being undertaken in the operating theatres at the time of the weather event. There was no clinical risk to these patients.''
Recent "weather tightening work'' on the hospital appeared to have reduced the impact of Monday's event.
"Inspections have shown no permanent damage was caused as result of the event.''
