New Airedale Hospital

Opened the debate

The hospital is constructed mainly from reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete, which has significant structural deficiencies. Over 83% of the building, including the roof, uses this material, leading to frequent leaks and water pooling issues. The hospital experiences more leaks than any other in the country due to its flat roof design and wet climate. There are over 50,000 aerated concrete panels, making it the worst affected NHS trust asset. Structural failures have been identified with deflections approaching critical levels. Emergency funding of £15 million has already been approved, but the backlog maintenance is at £480 million, rendering removal or replacement financially unviable.

Government Response

I have known you a very long time, Sir Edward, so it is always a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship in this place. I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Keighley on securing this debate. Since his election to this House, he has worked tirelessly for his constituency and has raised the issue of Airedale General Hospital numerous times. My hon. Friend highlighted that reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) is a key component part of these buildings but also pointed out its limited durability. Surveying at Airedale General Hospital continues to assess fully the extent and condition of RAAC planks, with issues relating to the deflection of rack panels causing concern for the trust. I have provided £4.2 billion in 2021 for operational capital investment to allow hospitals to maintain and refurbish their infrastructure, including a £110 million ring-fenced allocation to address immediate risks posed by RAAC planks. A significant multimillion-pound allocation is earmarked to mitigate RAAC risks at Airedale General Hospital. My hon. Friend wants me to speak about the future of the hospital beyond mitigation measures and raised his strong campaign for investment in a new hospital. The Government confirmed that 40 new hospitals will be built by 2030, with funding of £3.7 billion confirmed for the first tranche. An open process will be run to identify eight further new schemes, delivering on the Government's manifesto commitment. I would say that clearly one of the key criteria and considerations in the allocation of whatever funding is made available will have to be safety considerations and the urgency of any need for a new hospital. We continue to work closely with trusts and regions to ensure that the criteria for selection best meets the needs of the NHS both nationally and locally, achieving value for money for the taxpayer. In conclusion, I look forward to continuing to work closely with my hon. Friend in seeking to deliver on the Government's ambition of levelling up and improving the NHS services available across the country.