Jersey Hospital Operations Resume After Heatwave Air Conditioning Failures

Operations have returned to normal at Jersey Hospital after record-breaking May temperatures caused failures in parts of the facility’s air conditioning system.

The heatwave affected critical cooling equipment, forcing three of the hospital’s seven operating theatres to close temporarily for essential maintenance. However, medical director Simon West said repairs were completed sooner than expected, allowing planned procedures to restart.

Urgent operations continued in early June using an interim solution, with West confirming patients were not left waiting longer than necessary. A total of 83 people awaiting routine, non-urgent procedures were affected by the disruption.

The hospital said all affected patients were contacted directly, rescheduled and offered new appointment dates.

The damaged chilled water unit has now been replaced, meaning both urgent and planned procedures are continuing as normal.

West said the hospital had prioritised patient safety and worked to minimise disruption while restoring services as quickly as possible.

He added that issues like this can happen in older healthcare facilities, particularly during periods of extreme weather, and thanked islanders for their patience and understanding.

Jersey experienced its hottest May day on record for three consecutive days during the heatwave, with temperatures reaching 34.2C (93.6F) on Tuesday 26 May.

The hospital is now working on a permanent long-term solution to prevent similar problems in the future.