The seven hospitals declared ‘structurally unsound’ after being made with ‘aero bar’ concrete

Seven entire hospitals are ‘structurally unsound’ and in urgent need of replacement after being constructed from ‘aerobar’ concrete, a damning report warns.

From the 1960s to the 1980s, builders made extensive use of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) to build hospitals and schools.

Over the past year there have been warnings about the risk of crumbling ceilings and the catastrophic consequences it could have.

Now, a report by the National Audit Office (NAO) shows that 41 hospitals contain the material, including seven with RAAC ‘pervasive’.

The material is structurally weaker than traditional concrete and has previously been compared to a ‘chocolate aerobar’, with an expected lifespan of 30 years.

Another affected hospital is Airedale in West Yorkshire, pictured

The report reads: ‘In recent years the NHS has become aware of a serious problem with its buildings constructed from lightweight RAAC.

“A number of hospitals still in operation contain RAAC, including seven that have the material everywhere.

‘Since the late 1990s it has become increasingly clear that the material can become structurally unsound.’

Hospitals affected include Airedale in West Yorkshire, Queen Elizabeth King’s Lynn in Norfolk, Hinchingbrooke in Cambridgeshire, Mid Cheshire Leighton in Cheshire and Frimley Park in Surrey.

The two worst affected are West Suffolk Hospital in Bury St Edmunds and James Paget Hospital in Norfolk.

The West Suffolk Hospital has already been forced to install 27 metal supports under RAAC planking to make it safe.

Leaked documents also revealed that the hospital had hired a law firm to prepare a report on the risk of “corporate murder” charges if a deadly roof collapsed.

The government has pledged to remove RAAC from the NHS estate by 2035 and has allocated £685 million to reduce security risks in the buildings over the coming years.

Reconstruction of these hospitals has been prioritized as part of the government’s ambition to build 40 new hospitals by 2030.

The report says that as a result of this prioritization, eight hospitals that were originally set to be built by the end of the decade will now be completed past the deadline.

Another affected hospital is Frimley Park in Surrey

The DHSC confirmed that all seven RAAC hospitals have been prioritized due to their “urgent need for repair and the risk they pose to the safety of patients and staff.” The department added that they are “aiming to get shovels in the ground” between 2025 and 2027.

Liberal Democrat health spokesman Daisy Cooper MP said: ‘It is a disaster that several hospitals have serious concerns about the safety of their structure.

“This government has serious questions to answer about how we got here, but they must first and foremost take action to ensure patient safety.” On the issue of hospitals badly affected by RAAC, Health Secretary Steve Barclay has previously said: ‘These … hospitals are in urgent need of repair and are being prioritized so that patients and staff can benefit from major new hospital buildings, equipped with the latest technology.’