SURGEONS are refusing to operate at a brain surgery unit in Glasgow because of a plumbing leak which has led to faeces leaking down walls into recovery rooms.

Only emergency procedures are being carried out at the Institute of Neurosciences on the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital campus because of the infection control risk and one theatre has been closed.

Surgeons are said to have refused to perform operations.

Staff say there has been a long-running issue with plumbing in the old building, which is not part of the new hospital and claimed that the leak had also affected operating theatres.

Elective procedures including brain and spinal surgery have been cancelled and are being transferred to the new hospital.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde said the leak had occurred on Friday and was the second incident in February and apologised to patients affected. The board said elective procedures had been cancelled on the advice of infection control specialists.

One surgeon is said to have called a patient and said: “Your operation is cancelled because there is brown stuff running down the walls."

A health source told the Evening Times: “Faces is coming down the walls. It’s coming down from the wards.

“There is an issue with the plumbing. It’s been happening for several years but it’s getting beyond a joke.

“The pipes up on the wards get clogged and overflow. The surgeons have cancelled elective operations.

“They are doing surgery for emergencies and that’s basically it.

“Some of the operations have been transferred to the new hospital. There was one on Monday that should have taken place but the surgeon cancelled it.

“It’s not excusable.

“Staff morale is absolutely horrendous. Staff have still got to come to work and we are seeing faeces on the walls.

“I’ve worked here for 15 years. I wouldn’t want any of my relatives to get surgery here at this point.

A spokeswoman for NHSGGC said: "On Friday of last week the recovery area, not the theatres, in the Institute of Neurosciences, was affected by a leak from the pipes in the wards above.

"Regrettably, this was the second incident during the month of February and on the advice of infection control colleagues we have postponed some elective surgical procedures in the theatres whilst our estates staff conduct essential survey work to identify remedial work required.

"Two theatres are being used for emergency procedures which are being carried out as normal.

"The Board has already awarded a £7 million contract to build a new state of the art theatre suite which will be ready in early 2017. The existing theatres will be refurbished for alternative uses.

"While our estates colleagues work to get the theatres re-opened as quickly as possible we will carry out our elective programme utilising theatres in other units including the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital complex which has some 30 adult theatres allowing us to re-distribute theatre activity as required.

"We recognise that this is frustrating for our patients, families and our staff and would like to express our apologies to those patients affected."