Raac discovered in three Scarborough operating theatres

Three operating theatres at Scarborough Hospital have been found to contain potentially crumbling concrete.

A Freedom of Information request revealed that reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (Raac) had been discovered in three of the hospital's operating theatres.

York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said the theatres had been "assessed as safe".

The Raac would be removed "one theatre at a time", a spokesman said.

It comes after Raac planks were found in the roof of the pathology unit at the hospital in July, forcing staff to be moved to temporary workspaces. 

A spokesman for the hospital trust said there would be "no patient impact" and no staff would be moved as a result of the latest finds.

The discovery of the building material has also affected several other local buildings, including Scalby School in Scarborough, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Alison Hume, Labour's parliamentary candidate for Scarborough and Whitby, said: "Staff at Scarborough Hospital are working incredibly hard to deliver care despite enormous pressures, so this is yet another hurdle for them to clear.

"The image of crumbling schools and hospitals sums up what 13 years of Conservative mismanagement have done to our public services."

Roberto Weeden-Sanz, the Conservative's parliamentary candidate for Scarborough and Whitby, said the government had invested "a huge amount" in health care services "and it's just about making sure it reaches communities like ours".

Raac is a lightweight material that was used mostly in flat roofing, but also in floors and walls, between the 1950s and 1990s.

It is aerated, or "bubbly", like an Aero chocolate bar.

Although a cheaper alternative to standard concrete, it is less durable and has a lifespan of about 30 years.

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