Counties Manukau DHB says it's not monitoring rotting walls

The Counties Manukau District Health Board says it's not monitoring rotting walls at Middlemore Hospital because of advice that it's not necessary.

RNZ revealed this week that four hospital buildings are full of rot and dangerous mould.

Although some tests have been done, the state of the walls is not being monitored.

The board's chief executive, Gloria Johnson, said negotiations over the first piece of remediation work in one of the buildings were almost done.

She said it would hopefully begin next month.

"I reiterate that the expert advice we have received on infection control issues indicates that there is no risk of imminent harm to the safety of patients, staff or visitors as a result of the cladding issues in our buildings."

In a separate statement, the DHB said testing of the walls will start when they are about to be demolished.

It says there's no risk of imminent harm to staff and patients from the rot and mould.