Hospital using new software to manage Raac repairs

The new software replaces paper-based processes with a digital one

A West Yorkshire hospital has become the first in the UK to use new geospatial software to help pinpoint high-risk crumbling concrete panels.

More than 80% of floors, walls and ceilings at the Airedale Hospital, in Keighley, are made of Raac, or reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete, which has a lifespan of about 30 years.

Though due to be rebuilt before 2030, in the meantime the hospital operates a rolling inspection programme to monitor more than 20,000 Raac planks across 52 departments.

Estates Project Manager Richard Burgin said the new software allowed his team to instantly identify potential problems and help minimise disruption.

Previously, inspections relied on hand-written surveys to record defects, including cracks, movement or moisture, which were then transferred into a spreadsheet.

Photos were uploaded manually and separate paper floor plans updated to show the changes to risk across each ward.

The new Geographic Information System (GIS) collects information on iPads, reducing the risk of human error, and allows the survey team to run complex scenarios to help spot patterns of deterioration.

Mr Burgin said: "The existing manual survey process was not capable of dealing with the sheer volume of work.

"It became obvious the hospital needed a single, joined-up view of Raac risk to generate the inspection frequencies and the ongoing programme of remediation works.

"The GIS has given us a more robust and resilient process, with a reduced risk of human error that instantly shows different levels of risk so we know where to focus.

"Raac has a major operational impact, sometimes disturbing clinical and operational functions so surveys and mitigation work needs to be accurate and fast and the system underpins that.”

The system will cut down on disruption at the hospital, says hospital bosses

Duncan Booth, from software developer Esri UK, said: “GIS has made previously difficult to share data easily accessible, enabling the hospital to improve operational efficiency and make accurate decisions.”

In May 2023 the government announced Airedale Hospital would be rebuilt as part of its New Hospital Programme, a £20bn scheme to build or replace 40 hospitals.

Speaking at the time the chief executive of Airedale NHS Foundation Trust Foluke Ajayi said: "I know I speak for all our incredible staff, patients, governors, volunteers and wider supporters when I say that this is the news that we have been waiting for."