A CAMPAIGN to force the government to remove a dangerous form of concrete from a Hampshire hospital has met with success.
The Liberal Democrat campaign to ensure the removal of RAAC has forced the government to act with the announcement of Royal Hampshire County Hospital, now being placed on the list for the removal of the concrete from the hospital.
Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete, or RAAC, is a lightweight, bubbly form of concrete that is usually found in roofs and occasionally in walls and floors. It looks like standard concrete but compared with the “traditional” reinforced material, which is typically denser, RAAC is weak and less durable.
READ MORE: Ministers facing calls for transparency over scale of Raac in public buildings
The building material is less durable than reinforced concrete and deteriorates over time, so is susceptible to sudden failure potentially endangering patients.
The Liberal Democrat campaign to remove RAAC from Royal Hampshire County Hospital, has resulted in the government putting the hospital on a scheme which would see the dangerous concrete removed.
Liberal Democrat MP for Eastleigh Liz Jarvis said: “We are delighted that the government has listened to Liberal Democrats here in Eastleigh and the wider region and has committed to removing the dangerous RAAC from Royal Hampshire County Hospital.
“After years of shameful neglect by the Conservative Party, our local health services have been run into the ground with patients unable to even be sure that the roof won’t collapse in on them when they are getting the care they need.
“The new government must now follow through on this promise to the people of Eastleigh and ensure RAAC is removed without delay.”
It is not clear where in the hospital the RAAC is. The Chronicle has contacted Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust for more information.
Aside from hospitals, schools have been at the centre of a furore over RAAC in recent times.
Last year, 104 schools and colleges were told by the Department for Education to partially or fully shut buildings just as pupils prepare to return after the summer holidays.
SEE ALSO: Building ‘passports’ could prevent Raac-style safety failings – engineers
Though not confirmed, it is estimated that around 24 schools in England have been told to close entirely because of the presence of Raac, the PA news agency understands, and schools minister Nick Gibb has admitted more could be asked to shut classrooms.
A spokesperson from Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said: “Following the identification of RAAC planks located in two isolated and non-structural areas of our Royal Hampshire County Hospital, we have put in place increased surveillance and monitoring, as well as further safety measures.
“We are working collaboratively with partners and a contractor to continue progressing the removal and replacement of the planks identified. The mitigations we have taken mean the hospital remains entirely safe for staff, patients and visitors with all our services continuing uninterrupted.”
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