Parts of Scunthorpe General Hospital have been shut down following the discovery of dangerous RAAC across the site
The hospital has been named on a list by the Department of Health of 42 buildings affected by RAAC (reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete).
The lightweight material was widely used in schools and other public buildings from the 1950s to the 1990s.
The material was mostly used for flat roofs but can also be found in walls and floors. Investigations into using RAAC in schools were launched in 2018 when the roof of a primary school in Gravesend, Kent, collapsed without warning.
Responding to the RAAC crisis
In September 2023, the CLC formed an expert panel designed to support the government in responding to the RAAC crisis. The CLC is a panel of technical experts and representatives from professional bodies led by Graham Watts.
“While we anticipate that the majority of buildings that contain RAAC will remain safe, there is an urgent need to identify and remedy any risks to the public,” said Mr Watts.
“As an industry, we will support the programme of expert assessment of structures, both public and private, to identify where RAAC has been used and to deal with it to make it safe,” he added.
A spokesperson for the Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust (NLAG), the hospital has taken “precautionary measures” and no appointments have had to be cancelled.
“We can confirm we have RAAC in three areas on our Scunthorpe site,” said the spokesperson.
“Precautionary measures have been taken, and we are taking advice from specialist structural engineers in conjunction with NHS England to manage the issue. While we have had to close off some areas as a precautionary measure while we undertake further investigation, no patient appointments have been cancelled as a result,” they continued.
Scunthorpe General Hospital is one of 18 hospitals on the list of 41 affected buildings. following updated guidance from the Institution of Structural Engineers.
Scunthorpe General Hospital to undergo repairs
A support programme has allowed NHS trusts to access funding from a pool of £698m to make repairs related to RAAC. Keeping hospitals open while removing RAAC is a key recommendation from the Institution of Structural Engineers.
In September, the PDA requested details of which NHS estate premises were built using RAAC.
The letter stated: “The safety concerns about the existence of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) so publicly highlighted in the education sector are causing some pharmacists to seek reassurances that the buildings in which they practice are staff”
“To satisfy our members, we would ask you to please make available a definitive list of all those buildings within the NHS estate which include RAAC and the proposals for replacing this material,” concluded the statement.
