Upgrade to hospital's catering facilities to begin

Reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) was found in the Princess Royal Hospital's kitchen in 2023

Work to remove reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) from a hospital kitchen is set to get underway.

The kitchen and Apley restaurant at the Princess Royal Hospital in Telford have been closed since the material was discovered in September 2023.

The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust said following the work, both areas would be upgraded to larger more modern facilities, and a new doctors' mess and a plant room would also be built.

Temporary catering facilities were in place for patients, staff and visitors, the trust said, and would continue for the duration of the works, which will be carried out in phases and are due to finish in spring 2026.

What is RAAC concrete and why is it a safety risk?

The trust's assistant chief executive, Inese Robotham, said the upgrades to facilities was positive news and would further enhance the hospital's catering facilities.

She thanked patients, visitors and staff for their patience, and also thanked the catering and estates teams who put temporary measures in place and had been working differently to support patients and staff.

Staff said that they had to "relocate overnight" after the RAAC discovery, serving more than 400 meals per day from a temporary kitchen in a corridor.

Work to build the temporary kitchen included installing electrics, sectioning off areas and building a walk-in chiller to store the food.