NHS England has warned that material used in the roofs of several hospitals in England reached the end of their lifespan more than a decade ago; one hospital has been forced to restrict the use of some operating theatres to patients under 120kg (19st).
The potential for roof collapses is due to structural weaknesses in the reinforced concrete planks used in their construction between the 1960s and 1980s, which only have a 30-year lifespan.
One of the hospitals is Hinchingbrooke in Huntingdon and North West Anglia NHS foundation trust wrote in its annual plan that the poor condition of the main theatres in the hospital pose a significant risk to elective care.
The plan, published in June, stated: “There are a number of building-related issues, the most significant being the RAAC [reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete] panelling, which affects the loadbearing of the floor, restricting the use of some theatres to patients under 120kg.”
Full story in The Guardian, 17 August 2021