West Suffolk Hospital Trust in Bury St Edmunds says it will deal with safety 'appropriately and responsibly' if new hospital delayed
An NHS trust has addressed questions over what would happen if its new multi-million-pound hospital is not delivered before the current building is no longer deemed structurally safe.
Last month, West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (WSFT) was granted planning approval to replace the existing West Suffolk Hospital in Bury St Edmunds with a new facility at Hardwick Manor, which is next to the current site.
The trust said the approval of the outline planning application meant that, subject to business case approval, the new hospital was on target to be completed before the end of the decade, 'which is a testament to the hard work of the team and the vital input provided by the local community'.
2030 is a key date as trust bosses have said the current hospital, in Hardwick Lane, is safe until at least then, given the ongoing maintenance programme to address structural problems associated with RAAC (reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete).
The article revealed that the trust was spending upwards of £64 million for all RAAC-related work across the Hardwick Lane site, which includes putting in a support system for the planks.
Addressing questions over whether there is a contingency plan if the new hospital is not delivered in time, a spokesperson for WSFT told SuffolkNews: "The maintenance work in progress will help keep the West Suffolk operational until 2030 when the trust hopes to deliver the new hospital.
"Should that be delayed, the integrity of the safety systems being installed, as well as the planks that are at risk of failure, will be determined through ongoing surveillance.
"This will be subject to extensive advice and expert opinion, both from internal and independent specialists, to enable the trust to deal with this issue appropriately and responsibly. It will drive decision making on any actions required in relation to service provision beyond 2030."
The trust recently confirmed there had been no RAAC plank failures at the current hospital.
To maintain safe services for patients, there is a continuous survey and assessment programme to assess the condition of the planks, including using radar equipment, and a system to support the planks was being implemented across the hospital.
The planning officer report on the outline planning application said the trust was selected under the New Hospital Programme to receive government funding for a new hospital, with a commitment to have the hospital built by 2030.
The report also said: "The WSFT have been managing the safety aspects of the hospital as built but life expectancy of the current structure is not predicted to last beyond 2030."
The trust said it was currently preparing an outline business case and, as part of the government’s New Hospital Programme, working closely with national colleagues to ensure designs and activities take full advantage of the 'centralised programmatic approach'.
