NHS trust that runs West Suffolk Hospital in Bury St Edmunds says 90% of RAAC roof planks now have ‘failsafe’ supports
A support system to mitigate the risk of lightweight concrete roof planks failing at a Suffolk hospital is expected to be completed later this year.
West Suffolk Hospital, in Bury St Edmunds, contains a significant amount of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) in its roof and walls.
The current hospital was built in the 1970s and has defects associated with RAAC, a lightweight, bubbly concrete that was commonly used in construction in the UK between the 1950s and 1990s.
A new hospital is planned to be built at the Hardwick Manor site next to its current base in Hardwick Lane, but in the meantime safety measures continue at the existing hospital.
A programme to shore up all 10,299 RAAC roof planks with ‘failsafe’ supports was hoped to be finished by spring 2024, but West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (WSFT), which runs the hospital, said expected completion is now later this year.
A trust spokeswoman said: “As with any project, there have been unexpected delays due to a variety of reasons including work taking longer than expected; changes to the programme due to minimising impact on clinical services; reduction to one decant ward to support the opening of a winter escalation ward.”
The spokeswoman said 90 per cent of RAAC roof planks have precautionary failsafe roof supports of steel and timber beams in place; by the end of the programme all will be supported.
“The continuous survey and assessment of the final areas to be completed in the RAAC works identified no major issues with the planks hence why failsafe roof supports are being installed in the latter stages of the RAAC programme,” the spokeswoman said.
When failsafe roof supports are installed, services located in those areas are moved to another part of the West Suffolk Hospital to minimise impacts on clinical service provision and patient care.
Meanwhile, all external wall panels containing RAAC have been treated and protected using zinc anode technology to prevent further deterioration.
Dr Ewen Cameron, chief executive of WSFT, said: “The safety of patients, staff, and visitors is our priority, and we always follow expert, independent advice when it comes to the management of our buildings.
“We are well advanced in undertaking extensive, robust and planned estates maintenance programmes to support our RAAC infrastructure. This includes a rolling programme to regularly monitor and check the RAAC planks using the latest research and technology, that will remain in place until we move to a new hospital site.
“We continue to develop plans for a replacement hospital and are on track to deliver this by the end of 2030.”
The continuous survey and assessment programme to assess the condition of RAAC planks includes ‘tap tests’ and using radar equipment, and increased surveillance is ongoing until the main hospital relocates to a new site.
If an issue is found, remedial and mitigating work is undertaken immediately and short-term, temporary props installed to reinforce the plank. There are currently three short-term temporary props in place at West Suffolk Hospital.
The substantial, additional precautionary measures also include bearing extensions, which are used to provide further support to the planks; as well as the failsafe supports – a support system being implemented across the hospital.
The trust confirmed there have been no plank failures at West Suffolk Hospital.