In a concerning development, a new report has revealed that the government’s target for rebuilding seven hospitals constructed with unsafe reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (Raac) will not be met. The National Audit Office (NAO) has warned that the necessary remedial work is now expected to be completed by 2032 and 2033, missing the original 2030 deadline.
The affected hospitals, which were prioritised for repair last year, are already facing significant operational and clinical risks, as well as escalating maintenance costs. In some facilities, roofs are being propped up by metal supports, and certain areas have been closed off due to safety concerns.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting has acknowledged that the original “New Hospitals Programme” promise of 40 new hospitals by 2030 was “never going to be met.” In January 2025, the scheme was revised, with 20 projects, including the Raac hospitals, being prioritised and given more funding, but even these revised timelines have now slipped.
The NAO report states that the 2025 review did put the programme on a “more realistic, stable, long-term footing,” with standardised designs expected to speed up delivery and reduce costs. However, the report also warns that there is a tight construction schedule with little contingency, meaning further delays are possible.
The use of Raac, a less durable material compared to reinforced concrete, has been a significant factor in the hospitals’ deterioration. The “bubbly” structure of Raac can allow water to penetrate, weakening the building material and leading to crumbling and collapse.
In the meantime, hospitals such as the West Suffolk Hospital in Bury St Edmunds and The Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King’s Lynn are facing enormous maintenance bills to keep their sites operational. By 2025, the seven prioritised hospitals will have required more than £500 million in investment to prevent structural failure.
The NHS aims to remove all Raac concrete from its estate by 2035, and the Department for Health and Social Care has stated that 20 sites have already been cleared of the problematic material. However, the chair of the Public Accounts Committee, Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, has called for the delays in addressing the crumbling Raac to be addressed “as a matter of urgency.”
The report’s warning that patients cannot wait a decade for the necessary capacity highlights the urgent need for a more expedited solution. NHS trusts will be forced to divert scarce funds into maintaining aging buildings, rather than investing in critical infrastructure and staffing.
As the healthcare system grapples with this challenge, the public and policymakers will be closely watching to ensure that the revised timelines and funding commitments translate into tangible progress in rebuilding these vital healthcare facilities.