Report sparks Bay of Plenty hospital children's ward meth test

Part of Whakatane Hospital's Paediatric Ward was this week closed following a new report of someone using P there a year ago. Photo / File

Part of Whakatane Hospital's paediatric ward was this week closed after a new report of someone using P in a toilet a year ago.

But after the Bay of Plenty District Health Board ordered the area temporarily closed, meth test results came back clear.

The DHB's acting chief executive, Pete Chandler, said a hospital visitor told staff on Christmas Eve afternoon that they thought they had seen someone using P in a toilet in the ward a year earlier.

"We have no way of knowing if this is true, and although the alleged incident happened a year ago we decided to immediately close the area as a precaution."

The toilet was independently tested for contamination yesterday, with results finding no issue and that the area was "fine to use".

"While the results do not concern us, we are having a full clinical clean for peace of mind," Chandler said.

"Our cleaning services are provided by Spotless and the local team rightly wanted to check out that they were applying the correct health and safety protocols before proceeding."

Because of the test result, no special arrangements were necessary, he said.

"This is a wake-up call for us all as a community.

"P is a huge problem and if we ever do find examples of it being used on hospital premises we will involve the police immediately."