No confirmation of faulty concrete in NHS Fife buildings 'at this stage' say health chiefs

Health chiefs have said no Fife buildings have been identified as having RAAC as yet. (Pic: NHS Fife)

Reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) was previously used to build roofs, walls and floors and can cause buildings to collapse without warning.

Five hospitals in England have already been identified as having RAAC and the government has said they will be rebuilt.

NHS Scotland issued a Safety Action Notice in February urging health authorities to carry out checks and then completed a ‘desktop survey’ of its estate in June. Following the desktop exercise 254 buildings were identified that “have two or more characteristics which are consistent with the presence of RAAC”.

Twenty-two of these were said to be in the NHS Fife area.

Major sites such as Ninewells Hospital in Dundee, University Hospital Crosshouse in Kilmarnock and the recently constructed Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow are all named in the report as having buildings which could contain RAAC.

NHS Fife has been quick to allay fears saying there has been no confirmation of RAAC in any of their buildings in the Kingdom as yet and specialised investigations will be carried out.

A spokesperson for NHS Fife said: “Following an initial desk-based survey of NHS buildings across Scotland, parts of 22 buildings in Fife were identified as potentially containing Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) in their construction.

"These assessments were primarily based on the buildings having been constructed during the period when RAAC was used regularly and include a number where the likelihood of containing RAAC is considered low.

“At this stage none of our buildings have been confirmed as containing RAAC.

"More detailed surveys will shortly be carried out to determine whether the material is present in any of the buildings identified. These surveys will also determine any requirements in terms of ongoing monitoring, or whether any immediate or future remedial action is required.”

The lightweight concrete was used in roofs, floors and walls between the 1950s and 1990s as a cheaper alternative to the standard building material. It was widely used in public buildings and has been found in Scottish hospitals, schools and police stations. RAAC has air bubbles inside of it and has a limited lifespan.