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GP surgery hit by mystery staff illness to reopen

Andrew Turner
BBC News, Norfolk
Reporting fromCaister-on-Sea
Andrew Turner/BBC The sign outside Caister Medical Centre - which has since been renamed Caister Health Centre. The picture shows the signage with flowering weeds growing nearby. The section of red brick wall leads to a wooden fence, which is partially covered in ivy, with a tree growing above. The health centre buildings can be seen to the centre left of the image; a 1980s two-storey building, built of red brick with hipped tiled roofs. Windows and air conditioning units can be seen.Andrew Turner/BBC
Caister Health Centre is due to reopen on Monday

A GP surgery in Norfolk is to reopen on Monday after an investigation into why staff fell ill discovered issues with the drains.

Caister Health Centre was evacuated on 29 April when staff complained of headaches and feeling tired. It then had to be closed again, with specialist contractors brought in to find a cause.

East Norfolk Medical Practice, which runs GP services at the site, said: "Investigations of the building found a drainage issue which is thought to have been the source of the challenges we experienced.

"The drains have now been cleared and we are confident that the premises is safe for our patients and team."

Andrew Turner/BBC An ambulance parked outside Caister Health Centre, with the back door lifted open, and two police officers stand on the pavement. Two traffic cones are placed across the entrance to the medical centre car park, and a number of firefighters stand in the car park, with a fire engine on the car park outside the medical centre.Andrew Turner/BBC
Paramedics, firefighters, police and engineers from gas and sewer companies were sent to the scene

A number of staff had to be checked by paramedics following the first evacuation, with 16 seeking advice at the local hospital.

Firefighters, police and gas network operator Cadent also attended. Anglian Water, which operates the sewer network, did not find any issues.

The neighbouring pharmacy and dental surgery saw its services disrupted, with patients sent elsewhere for a period.

Two weeks ago, specialist contractors were brought in to assess air quality and discovered the drainage issue, which has required remedial work.

East Norfolk Medical Practice said the health centre would reopen on Monday, "to deliver normal practice services".

"We'd like to thank all our staff and patients for their ongoing and understanding while we worked to investigate and resolve this issue as quickly as possible, and we apologise for any inconvenience this caused."

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