Scarborough Hospital staff moved due to risk of roof collapse

NHS buildings which have reinforced aerated autoclaved concrete have to be regularly inspected

Hospital staff in North Yorkshire have been relocated after it was found a building roof was at risk of collapse.

The pathology unit roof at Scarborough Hospital was found to contain a material which posed a risk of "potential death or serious injuries".

The roof contains reinforced aerated autoclaved concrete (RAAC) which has exceeded its lifespan and "could be subject to failure".

It also contains asbestos, according to a report for the local NHS trust.

Staff at Scarborough Hospital were moved to temporary workspaces

Experts highlighted the "significant risk of failure" of RAAC planks, especially when used in roofs, as they can be hard to access and replace.

Between the 1960s and 1980s the planks were used in roofs, floors and walls of NHS buildings and schools, and had an expected lifespan of 30 years.

A spokesperson for the York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said staff in the affected area at Scarborough Hospital had been relocated into temporary workspaces at Scarborough Hospital and York Hospital.

"We hope to access the money required to eradicate RAAC from the NHS England national RAAC programme, which we are a member of," they said.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service the trust has secured funding for the first phase of the plan to deal with the RAAC, and has said that an update will be given in December regarding national funding support.