Parts of Scunthorpe General Hospital closed after discovery of Raac concrete

Parts of Scunthorpe General Hospital have been closed off due to the discovery of potentially dangerous concrete in three areas of the site.

The hospital is included on a new list, published by the Department of Health, of 42 affected by Raac (reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete).

The lightweight material, which has a limited lifespan, was widely used in schools and other public buildings from the 1950s to the 1990s.

A spokesperson for the Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust (NLAG) said it had taken “precautionary measures” and it had not been necessary to cancel appointments, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

“We can confirm we do have RAAC in three areas on our Scunthorpe site,” the spokesperson said.

They added: “Precautionary measures have been taken and we are taking advice from specialist structural engineers, in conjunction with NHS England to manage the issue. While we have had to close off some areas as a precautionary measure while we undertake further investigation, no patient appointments have been cancelled as result.”

Scunthorpe General is one of 18 hospitals added to the list of affected sites following updated guidance from the Institution of Structural Engineers.

A national programme is supporting mitigation, remediation and wider planning measure to ensure safety.

NHS trusts can access cash from a £698m pot to help fund action on RAAC. Keeping hospital capacity open while undertaking monitoring and mitigation work, until RAAC can be removed, is in line with recommendations from the Institution of Structural Engineers.

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