"Risk to life" at Doncaster's crumbling hospitals, new report claims

Doncaster and Bassetlaw NHS Teaching Hospitals Foundation trust is facing major safety risks at the three hospitals it runs, its board was told last month.

Among the most serious is the “increased risk to life and property in the event of fire due to current inadequacy of fire compartmentation” – fire-resistant material that is intended to stop flames and smoke from advancing to other parts of a building.

A paper presented to the board added that “fire compartmentation has been identified as being inadequate in each of the trust’s properties”.

Although fire compartmentation is required, its inadequacy means that “as a result there is currently an increased risk to life and property in the event of a fire”.

A suspected fire on 22 October led to a full evacuation, the paper added.

And the trust’s cold water storage tanks are so old and in such need of remedial work that they could produce legionella, the bacteria that causes legionnaires’ disease, which could affect staff and patients.

In addition, the ventilation systems serving “operating theatres and other critical areas” at the South Yorkshire trust “are not fit for purpose” and could break down because they are “aged, life-expired [and] unsuitable”.

There is also a “risk of electrical failure due to [the] age and condition” of the electrical infrastructure and also a “risk of critical lift failure”, which could disrupt clinical care.

Dr Kirsty Edmondson Jones, Director of Infrastructure at DBTH said “As a Trust operating across three hospital sites—Doncaster Royal Infirmary, Bassetlaw Hospital, and Montagu Hospital—much of our infrastructure dates back to the 1930s and 1960s.

"These older facilities, while integral to the delivery of our services, present significant challenges, particularly in terms of maintenance and modernisation.

“We currently face a substantial repair backlog, which requires a significant portion of our budget to address.

"While we were unsuccessful in our bid to join the Government’s New Hospital Programme in 2022, our focus has now pivoted to widespread refurbishment, particularly at Doncaster Royal Infirmary.

"This work is essential to ensure our facilities remain fit for purpose and capable of delivering high-quality care to the communities we serve.

“Despite these challenges, we have secured over £50 million in funding in recent years for capital projects across our three sites, allowing us to upgrade existing spaces and create new facilities.

"However, the scale of work required at Doncaster Royal Infirmary remains significant, and we continue to pursue opportunities to modernise our estate, make best use of the space we have, and provide the best possible environment for patients and colleagues alike.”

Doncaster had been earmarked for a new hospital under the previous Conservative government – but despite pledges from ministers and then Prime Minister Boris Johnson, a new hospital, which was set to be built on a site near to Holmes Market in the city failed to materialise with the site remaining vacant.