Maternity ward relocated for Raac improvements

A maternity ward has temporarily moved while construction work is carried out to make safe a roof containing reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (Raac).

For the next four months, maternity services at the James Paget Hospital in Gorleston, Norfolk, will still remain on the first floor of the hospital and be closer to theatres and the neonatal unit.

Construction work includes ensuring concrete roof panels remain safe by installing end bearing supports.

Mark Flynn, strategic projects manager at the James Paget Hospital, said: "We are well into our Raac works at the moment... we have done several wards already."

Work on a new hospital is due to begin between 2027 and 2028.

Mr Flynn said that while moving wards could be "logistically challenging", the units have been relocated one by one.

He said the planned work was identified three to four years ago and the hospital was now halfway through the programme.

"Our building was slightly later than some of the hospitals affected by Raac," he said.

"We did have some props in the early days but I am pleased to say we no longer require those.

"We have completed some of the non-patient facing areas first... to make sure we can put safety first.

"We are doing what we can but we recognise the limitations of Raac and are really looking forward to our new hospital in the future - which is something we are making great progress on."

Follow Norfolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.