December 7, 2006

Contact:
Tommasina Conte, Communications Consultant
Corporate Communications & Public Relations, LHSC
(519) 685-8500, ext. 77062, Pager 17062
tommasina.conte@lhsc.on.ca

University Hospital fully functional

(LONDON, Ontario) - London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC) has received assurances from The University of Western Ontario that the steam supply has been re-established and is stable. The heat and hot water at University Hospital are now operational, and as a result at 7 p.m. tonight LHSC is canceling the Code Green at University Hospital and the Code Orange at Victoria Hospital.

The University Hospital Emergency Department remains fully operational, however since our sterile processing department will not be fully functional until Friday morning, we anticipate we will be running seven of our Operating Rooms at University Hospital tomorrow.

We are still determining our ability to reinstate clinics tomorrow. Patients will be called individually if their appointments are rescheduled for Friday.

All staff who have stayed past their shift have been sent home.

“I want to thank the City of London, London Police, the Thames EMS, Voyageur Transport, St. Joseph’s Health Care, London, the regional hospitals, and other officials for assisting us in our preparation process,” says Cliff Nordal, LHSC President and Chief Executive Officer.

“I want to especially extend my personal appreciation to the staff and physicians at London Health Sciences Centre for their dedication and hard work throughout this situation.”

Any change in the situation, we will provide an update to the media. For media updates please call our media line at 519-685-8575.