The Liberal Democrats candidate for Harrogate and Knaresborough has handed in a petition calling for urgent repairs to Harrogate District Hospital.
A report this year said a survey of the hospital estate found 2,500 panels made of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC).
Twelve 12 high-risk panels had been identified and some theatres and corridors had been made safe with props. The report said further propping of panels that were in danger of collapsing might be needed.
The hospital has bid for £20 million funding to undertake repairs and Tom Gordon’s petition urges the government to provide this sum.
Mr Gordon, who handed the petition to the Department for Health and Social Care, said it was “particularly alarming is that there is no guarantee that the funding bid will be successful”.
He said:
“The potential consequences of failing to address this issue promptly are grave, as these panels are prone to crumbling and collapsing, thereby pose a safety risk to all those within the hospital premises.
“This Conservative government has utterly broken our NHS. It can’t even keep the roof over patients’ heads safe, let alone run a health service that gets people the treatment that they deserve on time.”
Mr Gordon said his petition had attracted “hundreds” of signatures but did not reveal the precise figure.
Liberal Democrats leader Ed Davey has also spoken out about Harrogate District Hospital’s need for repairs during prime minister’s questions.
Mr Gordon is aiming to be the first Liberal Democrat MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough since Phil Willis, who served from 1997 to 2010.
Andrew Jones has held the seat for the Conservatives since then.
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Lib Dem candidate calls on government to foot £20m Harrogate hospital concrete bill
The man who hopes to be Harrogate and Knaresborough‘s next Liberal Democrat MP has launched a campaign calling on the government to foot the bill for essential repairs at Harrogate District Hospital.
Tom Gordon, the Lib Dems’ parliamentary candidate for Harrogate and Knaresborough, has written to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Steve Barclay MP, to highlight his concerns about the construction panels at the hospital made of RAAC.
RAAC – reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete – made headlines nationally recently after it was found to be a substandard component of many schools and hospitals built between the 1950s and 1990s.
Health officials estimated in September it will cost £20 million to eradicate “crumbly concrete” from Harrogate District Hospital, which was built in the 1970s.
A survey of hospital properties found 2,500 RAAC panels, and added that remedial works have been completed on 12 “high-risk” panels, with some theatres and corridors in the hospital made safe with props. The report said that further propping might be needed of panels that were in danger of collapsing.
Mr Gordon said:
“Every member of our community relies upon our local hospital, or knows someone that does. It is simply not acceptable that people are receiving care, or trying to work, in an environment where temporary props are require to stop crumbling concrete collapsing above their heads. This is scandalous.
“It beggars belief, the local NHS trust are having to bid for this money from NHS England and there is no guarantee they will get it. Where does this leave our patients, doctors and nurses if the bid is unsuccessful?
“Ensuring that our local hospital is fit for the future is a priority to me and many residents I’ve spoken with. People are outraged.
“The government must act and release the funds to fix this crumbling concrete crisis at our local district hospital at once.”
Residents can add their name to Mr Gordon’s letter to the Secretary of State online.
Read more:
- Government urged to ‘come clean’ on North Yorkshire RAAC schools
- Harrogate hospital ‘crumbly concrete’ to cost £20m to eradicate
- Harrogate hospital roof contains crumbling concrete
Harrogate hospital ‘crumbly concrete’ to cost £20m to eradicate
Health officials have estimated it will cost £20 million to eradicate “crumbly concrete” from Harrogate District Hospital.
RAAC, which stands for reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete, is a lightweight material that is less durable than traditional concrete and has a life expectancy of just 30 years before it runs the risk of collapse.
The first section of Harrogate District Hospital was built in 1975 during a period when RAAC was used in the construction of public buildings.
A report about the material at the Lancaster Park Road hospital was discussed at a meeting of Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust’s board yesterday at the Crown Plaza hotel.
The report said a full survey of the estate by engineers WSP found 2,500 RAAC panels. It added that remedial works have been completed on 12 “high-risk” panels with some theatres and corridors in the hospital made safe with props.
The report said there will be an annual survey of all RAAC panels and a roof with the concrete will be replaced.
It said there may also be further propping of panels that are in danger of collapsing.
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To eradicate RAAC from the site, the trust has bid for £20m of funding to NHS England, which includes relocating demolishing and rebuilding a therapy services building.
Whilst there is RAAC present at Harrogate hospital, it is not as prevalent as in other hospitals in Yorkshire such as Airedale in the Bradford district. In May, the government announced it will be completely rebuilt due to RAAC.
Jonathan Coulter, chief executive at Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust’s, addressed RAAC in a statement.
He said:
“There has been a flurry of activity in respect of the management of estate where there is RAAC present. This followed the concerns raised at the end of last month across the education system.
“To be fair, the NHS has been very aware of this issue and risks are being managed, but there is now greater concern and the threshold for risk is being challenged.
“As the board will be aware, we do have some RAAC across the HDH site that we survey regularly, manage, and have a plan for gradual replacement. As part of our capital plans, including our new theatre build, we are reviewing and assessing the potential to tackle this issue more quickly.”