SNP ministers have been accused of risking “catastrophe” after revealing they will leave so-called crumbling concrete in 35 NHS buildings.
Health Secretary Michael Matheson disclosed the decision in a letter to MSPs about the discovery of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete – or RAAC – in 37 properties.
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The material was identified as part of a Scotland-wide survey sparked by fears of structural collapses.
And while action was taken in two NHS Scotland buildings, Mr Matheson said that “the remaining 35 currently only require additional monitoring and management”.
The Health Secretary’s update, in a letter to parly’s Health, Social Care and Sport Committee, did not name the 35 buildings.
And the disclosure sparked anger from Scottish Lib Dem leader Alex Cole-Hamilton, whose party sounded the alarm on RAAC in public buildings early last year.
He said: “It looks like SNP ministers are waiting for catastrophe to strike. The Government is happy to sit on its hands.
“This is a slow-footed and short-sighted response that puts patients and staff at risk and increases the chances of this dodgy concrete being in the NHS estate for many decades.”
Dangers of RAAC have been known for years, but the collapse of a beam previously deemed low-risk in a school in England last summer sparked UK-wide alarm and renewed urgency over identifying the material in public buildings and homes.
RAAC was used in construction between the 1950s and mid-1990s as a cheap alternative to standard concrete – but has a lifespan of around 30 years.
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It has been branded as a “ticking time bomb” with fears over potential collapses, sparking efforts in the last two years to identify the extent of RAAC in public buildings.
More than 300 properties in the NHS Scotland estate were surveyed for the material as part of wider reviews into the problem across the UK, prompted by several collapses in recent years.
In his letter to MSPs, Mr Matheson wrote: “Of those properties, 37 were identified as having RAAC in parts of the facility: one property was vacated in September (Denburn Health Centre), one property at the Western General Hospital required remediation but the structure was considered sound and the remaining 35 currently only require additional monitoring and management.
“Overall, while the properties identified with RAAC will need to be managed and monitored more closely, we do not anticipate RAAC having a significant detrimental impact on the delivery of clinical services.
“Disruption has been relatively minor and we do not anticipate having to replace any building as a result of RAAC.”
But Lib Dem boss Mr Cole-Hamilton accused SNP ministers of adopting a “short-sighted” response and urged them to make funding available to allow councils to carry out remedial work.
He said: “Ministers need to get their heads out of the clouds and finally establish a fund that NHS boards and local authorities can tap into, allowing them to carry out the necessary works to get rid of this dodgy concrete for good.”
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “Any RAAC found in the NHS estate is managed in line with the advice of the team of specialist structural engineers who work closely with NHS Scotland Assure to manage NHS Scotland’s survey programme.
“In all instances, when the recommended action is to undertake additional monitoring and management, this is consistent with the advice recommended by the Institution of structural engineers and reflects best practice.”
