West Suffolk Hospital in Bury St Edmunds is included in national plan in case of building collapse due to defective concrete
The NHS is said to have devised plans for the evacuation of patients from West Suffolk Hospital in the event of its building collapsing because of the use of lightweight concrete.
According to an article in The Sunday Times, the NHS has 'wargamed' the collapse of hospital buildings at trusts where roofs are at risk from reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC).
It is understood that if parts of any of the hospitals have to shut, a national incident would be declared with services and patients moved to other parts of the country, it was reported.
West Suffolk Hospital in Bury St Edmunds is among seven major hospitals known to be affected by the concrete, which is described as being like a bubbly 'chocolate Aero bar'.
The ageing building in Hardwick Lane is constructed using 15,000 RAAC planks: 10,000 in its roof and 5,000 in the walls. The construction material was a popular choice in the 1970s when the facility was built.
West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust has submitted outline plans for a new West Suffolk Hospital of up to 100,000 square metres on nearby land at Hardwick Manor.
A spokesperson for West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust said: “The safety of patients, staff, and visitors is our priority and we have always followed expert, independent advice when it comes to the management of our buildings to continue delivering a safe service for patients, who should continue to come forward for care as they usually would.
“There is a rolling programme of work to regularly check the planks, using the latest research and technology, alongside an extensive and planned programme of precautionary maintenance work to further ensure the safety of patients, visitors, and staff.
"We have several well-practised measures in place to identify and fix any issues.
“Looking to the future we are in the early stages of our journey to design and develop our new hospital. We have established our strategic case for change, identified and acquired a site for our preferred way forward and are in the process of co-producing a new clinical model, having submitted an application for outline planning consent.”
The condition of the planks are assessed using a variety of checking measures, including ‘tap tests’ and using radar equipment, with increased surveillance ongoing until the relocation to a new hospital.
In 2020, West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust was announced as one of 40 new hospitals to be built by 2030 under government plans.
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “We are taking action to improve health infrastructure across the country. We have provided more than £4 billion for trusts to support local priorities, including to maintain and refurbish their premises, and have set aside over £685 million to directly address issues relating to the use of RAAC in the NHS estate."
The other hospitals included in The Sunday Times report are: Hinchingbrooke Hospital in Cambridgeshire, the Queen Elizabeth and James Paget hospitals in Norfolk, Airedale Hospital in West Yorkshire, Leighton Hospital in Cheshire, and Frimley Park Hospital in Surrey.
