Hospital that poses a risk to its patients and staff to be rebuilt 'at pace'
A hospital that poses a risk to its patients and staff because of the way it was made has been confirmed in wave 1 of the Government’s New Hospital Programme.
Airedale General Hospital caters for patients who live parts of Pendle and Burnley, as well as West and North Yorkshire.
A rebuild has been on the cards since it was discovered that the building in Keighley contained reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) - which can fail when it reaches the end of its natural lifespan. Now the levels at Airedale have been deemed as ‘critical’ and the Government has agreed that the rebuild needs to proceed ‘at pace’.
Stuart Shaw, Director of Strategy, Planning and Partnerships said: “We are pleased that the Government has once again confirmed that Airedale Hospital will be built at pace due to the risks posed for both patients and staff, following its review into the national New Hospital Programme (NHP).”
Timeframe and cost
They added: “The Secretary of State said that the NHP will now be delivered in a phased approach, with consecutive waves of investment. It was confirmed that Airedale and the other RAAC hospitals will be in wave 1, which will start construction between 2025 and 2030, along with a cost estimate of £1 billion to £1.5 billion, recognising the need to completely rebuild the hospital.
“We are continuing to progress with the work needed to get ready for the hospital and develop our plans and will keep people updated on the next stages as soon as we have more information on timescales. We thank all our people, partners and communities for their support with Airedale’s new hospital programme.”