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A recent report has highlighted significant delays in the repair and replacement of hospital buildings constructed with unsafe Raac (reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete). Despite the government’s initial goal to address these issues by 2030, progress has fallen behind schedule. Seven hospitals identified as priorities for remedial work last year are now expected to open only by 2032 or 2033. The National Audit Office (NAO) noted that some hospitals are already under considerable pressure to meet these updated deadlines due to ongoing safety concerns.
In several cases, the structural integrity of hospital roofs has been compromised, requiring metal props for support, and certain areas have been closed off to protect patients and staff. Health trusts responsible for these facilities face mounting maintenance costs as they strive to keep the buildings safe during this extended interim period. These growing expenses are placing additional strain on already tight budgets within the NHS.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting acknowledged that the initial New Hospitals Programme, which aimed to deliver 40 new hospitals by 2030, was overly ambitious. In January 2025, the scheme was revised, narrowing the scope to 20 projects, including those involving Raac hospitals, with increased funding and extended completion dates. According to the NAO, this review established a “more realistic, stable, long-term footing” for the programme. Efforts to standardize building designs are expected to accelerate construction and reduce costs. However, some facilities—such as Torbay, Kettering, and Musgrove Park hospitals—are now projected to open nine to ten years later than originally planned.
Raac is known for being less durable compared to traditional reinforced concrete, primarily because its porous “bubbly” structure allows water infiltration, weakening the material over time and increasing the risk of collapse. The NAO’s report emphasized that replacing Raac in the seven prioritised hospitals will not be completed until 2032-33, posing ongoing clinical and operational risks and incurring substantial costs. Meanwhile, hospitals like West Suffolk in Bury St Edmunds and The Queen Elizabeth Hospitals in Kings Lynn have already faced hefty bills for maintaining their aging infrastructures. By 2025, investments exceeding £500 million will have been necessary to prevent structural failures. The NHS plans to eliminate all Raac from its estate by 2035, with the Department of Health and Social Care citing progress at 20 sites and a £1.6 billion investment committed over the next four years.
Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, Chair of the Public Accounts Committee, stressed the urgency of addressing these delays, warning that the tight construction timetable for the coming years leaves little room for further slippage. Tim Mitchell, President of the Royal College of Surgeons of England, commented that while a more stable plan is preferable to ongoing uncertainty, patients “cannot wait a decade” for the expanded capacity. He highlighted concerns that funds are being funneled into maintaining outdated buildings rather than creating new operating theatres, securing dedicated beds, and ensuring sufficient staffing. In response, a spokesperson from the Department of Health and Social Care affirmed their commitment to “a sustainable funding plan and an achievable timetable” and stated that efforts are underway to build these essential facilities as swiftly as possible
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