Danger concrete confirmed at Black Country hospital in latest RAAC update
Dudley's Russells Hall hospital is the latest to be revealed as having danger concrete present.
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has published an updated list of hospitals where reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete, known as RAAC, has been discovered.
The reason for the concern over the material is the worry that it can collapse, without warning.
The list affected by RAAC now stretches to 42 sites across the county – with Russells Hall one of the latest added to the roster.
The update from the DHSC does not reveal the extent or the nature of the discovery at the hospital, which is managed by The Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust.
It joins three other hospitals in the Midlands where RAAC has been identified.
One site, Kidderminster Hospital Treatment Centre, has had the RAAC 'eradicated' according to the Government.
Other sites include the Haywood Hospital, in Burslem, which is managed by the Midlands Partnership NHS Foundation Trust.
The material was also found at Princess Royal Hospital in Telford.
In that case it was found in the restaurant and kitchen area, forcing its closure.
Shrewsbury & Telford Hospital NHS Trust, which manages the site, has built a temporary kitchen to replace the facilities and continue to provide full meal choice for patients.
The DHSC said sites are added to the list irrespective of whether the RAAC is found in a clinical or non-clinical area.
The issue relating to RAAC came to light days before schools returned from the summer holidays, after it was revealed a number of education establishments had the material present in buildings.
The Government says it has set aside £698m specifically to deal with the issue in hospitals.
