Mental health units get cladding check

Health bosses have confirmed reviews are taking place at Guild Lodge secure mental health unit (pictured), Guild Park, Preston and The Harbour 154-bed mental health hospital, Preston New Road, Blackpool.

The buildings are owned by Walton Summit-based Lancashire Care NHS Foundation Trust.

The news comes as the Government revealed cladding on 27 tower blocks in 15 council areas in England failed fire safety tests. And more than 700 flats in tower blocks on an estate in the Swiss Cottage area of North West London were evacuated because of fire safety concerns.

The Rydon Group which carried out am £8.6m refurb on Grenfell Tower has worked on some Trust buildings.

The Trust confirmed it as a facilities management contract with Rydon Maintenance Ltd, a subsidiary of Rydon Group and that Rydon have never fitted cladding to any of its buildings.

It said: “The Trust occupies 28 buildings in total that have cladding on them and of these, is the owner of five of those buildings. Inspections of the five buildings are currently underway by a firm of independent surveyors to provide details on the makeup of the cladding to determine whether any further action is required.”

The other three buildings are in East Lancashire. The Trust added: “If any cladding is found to be a risk it will be removed and replaced.”

None of the five buildings are high rise, explained the Trust and any cladding was fitted at the time of construction. The remainder are owned by different organisations including NHS Property Services and Community Health Partnership who are also reviewing buildings.