NHS trusts are told to prepare to evacuate hospitals with crumbling concrete

NHS England has written to trusts advising them to prepare evacuation procedures from clinical areas on their premises that are at risk of collapse from lightweight concrete.1

The letter instructs trusts how to identify, manage, and mitigate the risk of hospital buildings containing reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC), after the partial closure of more than 100 schools in England over concerns about roof collapses associated with this material.2

The letter from Jacqui Rock, chief commercial officer, and Mike Prentice, national director for emergency planning and incident response, also instructs trusts to plan for failure of RAAC and develop strategies to evacuate patients and services from clinical areas containing …