Seven More NHS Hospitals Declare Themselves RAAC-Free as National Removal Programme Accelerates
Seven additional NHS hospitals in England have now fully removed RAAC from their estates, marking another significant milestone in the national effort to eliminate unsafe concrete from critical healthcare buildings. With millions in targeted funding and a clear timetable for the remaining sites, progress towards a safer NHS estate is visibly gathering pace.
Seven Hospitals Completed
According to the government announcement, the latest hospitals to remove all remaining RAAC are:
- Kidderminster Hospital, Kidderminster
- Broomfield Hospital, Chelmsford
- Homerton University Hospital, London
- Scunthorpe General Hospital, Scunthorpe
- The Churchill Hospital, Oxford
- Queen Victoria Hospital, East Grinstead
- New Cross Hospital, Wolverhampton
These completions mean that structural risks posed by RAAC panels in these locations have now been fully addressed. Patients, staff and local communities can rely on safer, more secure buildings without the mitigating measures that were previously in place.
What’s Next: 12 More Hospitals to Complete Works by 2026
The government confirmed that a further 12 NHS hospitals are scheduled to finish RAAC removal by March 2026. These include sites with larger or more complex RAAC footprints that require phased replacement, decanting of clinical services, or construction of temporary accommodation while works are carried out.
The long-term commitment remains to remove all RAAC from the NHS estate by 2035, with several of the most affected hospitals already earmarked for full rebuilds under the New Hospital Programme.
The 12 further hospitals set to complete by the end of the financial year are:
- Countess of Chester Hospital
- Royal Blackburn Hospital, Lancashire
- Royal Hampshire County Hospital, Winchester
- St Mary’s Community Hospital, Portsmouth
- Guildford Hospital, Guildford
- Royal United Hospital, Bath
- Rowley Regis Hospital, West Midlands
- Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Edgbaston
- Clatterbridge Hospital, Wirral
- Leigh Infirmary, Wigan
- North Devon District Hospital, Barnstaple
- Stamford and Rutland Hospital, Stamford
The long-term commitment remains to remove all RAAC from the NHS estate by 2035, with several of the most affected hospitals already earmarked for full rebuilds under the New Hospital Programme.
Funding to Keep the Work Moving
To maintain momentum, the government has allocated £440 million of targeted funding for 2024/25, with additional investment committed in future years. This funding is being used to:
- Replace RAAC panels in priority buildings
- Accelerate RAAC monitoring and structural assessments
- Support temporary relocations to keep services running
- Prepare the worst-affected hospitals for full redevelopment
Health leaders say the financial commitment ensures hospitals can continue essential safety work without compromising day-to-day patient care.
A Wider National Effort
The progress within the NHS reflects a much broader national effort to deal with RAAC across public buildings. Significant work is still underway in schools, courts and other public estates, but the health sector is among the most closely monitored due to the essential nature of its services.
Keeping patients and staff safe is always our top priority, and we have been working closely with trusts to manage RAAC safely and ensure the continuation of services while this essential work is taking place.
The completion of these latest projects is a positive step, giving staff confidence that they can continue delivering care in safe environments, and we will keep working with trusts to complete the programme across the NHS estate at pace.
— Simon Corben, Director of Estates at NHS EnglandWhat to Watch in the Coming Months
Over the next year, the key developments to follow will centre on how quickly the remaining 12 hospitals progress toward their scheduled completion date of March 2026. There will also be growing attention on which sites are confirmed for full rebuilds under the New Hospital Programme and how these timelines align with the wider commitment to remove all RAAC from the NHS estate by 2035. In parallel, updates across other public buildings will continue to shape the national picture, as schools, courts and community facilities work through their own remediation programmes. Funding announcements for the next phases of the RAAC eradication plan will also be important, giving hospitals clarity and enabling trusts to plan safely and confidently as long-term works continue.
