HEALTH chiefs have vowed to take action after fire safety concerns were raised about Fairfield Hospital.

Fire officers on a routine inspection to the hospital on Rochdale Old Road in October recorded a list of faults that could cause fires or delay evacuations.

Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) served an enforcement notice on Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, which runs the hospital, as well as North Manchester General Hospital, Rochdale Infirmary and Royal Oldham Hospital.

The notice says the hospital had stored combustible items in escape routes, wedged open fire doors and left storeroom doors unlocked.

The concern was that anyone wishing to start a fire deliberately could set fire to flammable liquids in the store room and that, if a staff member went to use a fire door, it would not trigger an alarm.

Fire bosses also raised concerns that the hospital was not holding fire drills often enough and that it was not following the trust's own fire prevention policy.

If the faults are not set right, the trust could be fined or face legal action in the courts.

The trust's estates operations manager John Allwork said: "Following a routine inspection of the operating theatres at Fairfield, GMFRS identified areas they felt were not fully compliant with The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.

"Most of the issues were of a general housekeeping nature and have already been addressed.

"A programme of works has been prepared for more technical issues and GMFRS are working with the trust to ensure full compliance is met."

GMFRS's head of protection Billy Myers said: "We are confident that the hospital is addressing the issues found.

"They have, infact, already put a number of measures in place to address the shorter-term issues and we are working with them to ensure they make all necessary improvements."