Deteroirating operating theatre lights still in use at Launceston hospital

Labor exposed an image last month of the lights in one theatre which appeared to show a deterioration of the equipment.

At an estimates hearing on Monday, Labor's Anita Dow sought an update on the replacement of the lights.

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Health Department associate secretary Shane Gregory said lights in two of the hospital's operating theatres had been replaced.

He said additional replacements had been ordered from a European supplier, however, there was a 24-week waiting period from the time an order was placed.

"But they won't take long to install once they're here," Mr Gregory said.

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Health Department secretary Kathrine Morgan-Wicks said the deterioration of the theatre lights had been caused by strong infection prevention and control materials that had been used to clean the lights.

"The cause of the deterioration was just not age, it was due to the actual cleaning regime that was newly instituted as part of COVID in our theater precinct," she said.

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