King's Lynn Queen Elizabeth Hospital: More than 1,500 props supporting roof

The Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King's Lynn hopes to be selected as one of eight hospitals to be rebuilt

There are more than 1,500 props holding up a hospital's structurally deficient roof.

The Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King's Lynn, Norfolk, was built in the 1970s using a type of concrete which was designed to last 30 years.

The hospital trust said the number of props had increased from 470 to 1,528 after work was carried out in three wards.

Conservative MP for North West Norfolk James Wild said it was "concerning".

Props have recently been installed on Brancaster Ward, the Butterfly Suite and the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, a spokesman for the Queen Elizabeth Hospital King's Lynn NHS Foundation Trust said.

Included in the total number of props are acrow props, which extend from the floor to ceiling, and steel and timber supports in the roof itself.

The trust said there were 52 acrow props across the hospital

Mr Wild has called for a hospital rebuild to be given serious consideration.

In July, the government said it would select eight hospitals to be rebuilt, with health trusts having to bid for the opportunity.

The Queen Elizabeth Hospital's trust submitted two expressions of interest to the Department of Health and Social Care in September.

A shortlist was due to be announced earlier this year but has been delayed.

Props are in more than 50 different areas of the hospital

Mr Wild said he was attempting to "keep up the pressure" and keep the issue "in the spotlight".

"I'm as impatient as anyone to get a decision," he said.

Mr Wild said he was aware that if the hospital was selected for a rebuild it would not happen "overnight".

"I suspect the number [of props] will increase," he said.

"This is part of the work to install fail-safes to protect the roof so that it is safe.

"I would rather there were no props and we had a new hospital but we're managing the situation before we hopefully get that new hospital built."