A SURGICAL cleaning unit that was shut down after inspectors discovered it was riddled with bacteria and mould is still battling the problem and facing soaring staff sickness rates, it has emerged.

More than 1,000 operations were cancelled including cancer surgery and NHS work had to be farmed out to the private sector after inspectors ordered an immediate suspension at Cowlairs Decontamination Unit in Springburn on November 13.

The unit, that serves all Glasgow’s hospitals, was cleared to re-open just over two weeks later after remedial work was carried out including a deep clean of the site.

Health sources say mould was discovered days ago in the area where staff change into protective overalls.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde said isolated patches of mould were discovered days ago in a staff changing room after the most recent inspection on February 6 which were “immediately cleaned.”

It has emerged that two senior managers are to take early retirement in the Spring.

Figures show staff absence rates at the unit are consistently two and three times higher than board targets.

Over 2018, absences peaked at 13.40% in June, almost three times the board’s target of 4% and only dropped below 8% , once in November , the month the unit was shut down.

Reasons for absences have included respiratory problems, asthma and back and infection diseases as well as anxiety, stress and depression.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde acknowledged that rates exceeded both the board and NHS Scotland averages.

The board said it had taken action to improve the physical working environment through the introduction of job rotation, breaks and activities to support physical and mental health.

A spokeswoman for NHSGGC said: “The Cowlairs Decontamination Unit was visited by the LRQA inspectors on Wednesday February 6 and were fully content with the all the actions we had put in place for environmental monitoring of the unit.

“As a result of this robust environmental monitoring we discovered two isolated patches of mould in a staff changing room which were immediately cleaned.”

Concerns about the facility are said to have been raised in February last year when the unit failed air quality tests.

However, it is not the first time, concerns have been raised about the unit.

In 2013, around 50 operations were cancelled after after medics raised fears over dirty surgical equipment.

Scotland’s First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, said all appropriate steps were being taken to ensure last year’s closure did not happen again.