INFRASTRUCTURE AND RAAC MANAGEMENT
From structural challenge to high-quality facility
A masterclass in fast-tracked healthcare engineering, the £15m Ward 6 Ventilation Inpatient Centre (VIC) project at Aintree University Hospital Liverpool has transformed a high-risk structural challenge into a high-quality clinical facility, eradicating RAAC and completely reimagining the estate. As a result, the Major Capital Projects Team has created a facility that is now one of only four specially commissioned NHS Respiratory Weaning Centres in England. Kasia Pekala, senior project manager – Major Capital Projects Team at NHS University Hospitals of Liverpool Group, tells us more.
RAAC stands for Reinforced (contains steel bars) Autoclaved (process of making via Autoclave cooker) Aerated (contains bubble like structure) Concrete (mix of cement and aggregate). It is a lightweight, low strength concrete block used across the UK during the period of 1950s to mid-1990s. These structures were mainly used for building roof due to its good thermal properties. However, there have been cases were RAAC panels have also been used as wall structures. RAAC has been extensively used in buildings such
as schools, hospitals, and other public buildings due to its ease of installation, cost effectiveness, and speed of construction. However, between the 1980s and 1990s, RAAC has faced safety concerns related to its durability and lifecycle as cracking, sagging, and corrosion of steel reinforcement became evident. Since 2019, the NHS has been surveying hospitals across
the UK to identify the presence of RAAC. Once RAAC is confirmed on site, the Trust in question then follows a process of joining NHS England’s National programme for RAAC elimination. Our Aintree University Hospital at Liverpool is one of the sites with confirmed RAAC occurrence.
Completed Ward 6.
RAAC at Aintree University Hospital Liverpool The RAAC at Aintree Hospital was discovered during structural surveys undertaken in 2018. Since then, our Property Team has been allocated the supervision of
RAAC by creating a database and conduct condition surveys along with maintenance (i.e. using props if necessary). In addition, our Major Capital Projects Team has been assigned the task of managing a series of NHSE-funded RAAC eradications projects with the planned full RAAC elimination by the year 2032. At Aintree, we have eradicated RAAC from four hospital areas, with a total of 1,268 planks removed – a total area of 2,190 m². At present, RAAC is still to be removed from seven hospital buildings and areas with a total number of planks reaching 4,342 – a total area 5573 m² (with one building being still under investigation). Due to high volume, complexity, and the scale of
the scheme, a 10-year plan has been implemented to accommodate appropriate phasing, decants, and enabling works for smooth RAAC eradication between each area with a large focus being placed on RAAC condition and its severity.
Ward 6 and the impact of RAAC Ward 6 – also known as the Ventilated Inpatient Centre (VIC) – was one of our facilities with RAAC roof presence. Ward 6 was part of our large-scale RAAC roof removal and elimination scheme and originally scheduled for project start on-site in 2026. Nevertheless, at the end of 2023, the Ward 6 project had to be brought forward when Liverpool was hit with terrible rain which lasted for several weeks. This severe weather ingress drastically compromised the RAAC roof deck below, with some planks being impacted by the water leaks. The project was fast-tracked and put into a state of emergency to relocate the patients and staff from the risk area. The VIC is a 12-bed ventilation unit dedicated to treating patients with respiratory difficulties. The ward supports the population of Cheshire and Merseyside who require ongoing ventilatory support in the community. The Major Capital Projects Team successfully refurbished an empty ward which then served as a temporary home for Ward 6.
Clinical enhancement scope The primary objective of the project was to deliver a robust and compliant roof structure capable of supporting a newly installed plant room. The new plant room accommodates two Air Handling Units (AHUs), three Air Source Heat Pumps (ASHPs), water tanks, pumps, and a chiller. In addition, the project
70 Health Estate Journal October 2026
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