Hospitals close areas after discovering RAAC planks

The government has revealed 18 more hospital sites where reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete has been found after further checks were carried out across the NHS over the summer.

Most have said their RAAC, which can be prone to collapse, is confined to small areas and precautions can be taken to ensure the buildings can still be used. Around half have confirmed the areas are not used by patients.

However, Northern Lincolnshire and Goole FT said it had identified RAAC in three areas of its Scunthorpe General Hospital site, which it has closed while further investigations are carried out. The trust said these are in patient areas but not on any wards, and no appointments had been cancelled as a result.

The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital Trust revealed last month that it has shut its kitchen area at The Princess Royal Hospital. It has since built a temporary kitchen to resume patient meals.

Cambridgeshire Community Services Trust is also now listed as having found RAAC at North Cambridgeshire Hospital. The trust confirmed to HSJ it had closed a space to patients and staff as a result, while another – only accessible to staff – has put in protective scaffolds.

Solent Trust has installed temporary props at a community hospital.

Meanwhile, South Tees Hospitals FT has identified a section of RAAC in the roof of the maternity unit at James Cook University Hospital. It has been classed as low risk, however, which means there is little sign of deterioration or damage.

Homerton Healthcare FT has found RAAC in a plant room above the main theatres at Homerton University Hospital, which contains water tanks. It said the planks were in good condition with no structural concerns. It said a collapse of the planks would be catastrophic, due to the flooding risk, this has been deemed very low risk.

It said in a statement it was checking the planks regularly and seeking advice over any remedial action required.

The lightweight form of concrete was used extensively between the 1960s and 1980s, and recently sparked widespread attention with the sudden closure of dozens of school buildings where it was present.

NHS England told trusts to check their estates for this concrete in May following updated guidance. While some trusts already confirmed the identification of RAAC, the full list confirms the total number of known sites increased from 24 to 42 following this process (see full list below).

The DHSC has promised around £700m until 2025 for a national programme to mitigate and eradicate RAAC in the NHS estate.

It has committed to eradicating this form of concrete in the NHS by 2035, while the seven worst-affected trusts have been promised new hospitals by 2030.