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CRACKS IN £422M NEW HOSPITAL?
Flagship glass reception ‘a danger to staff’, claims insider
A FLAGSHIP hospital has blamed “wear and tear” after calling in the builders to patch up its swish glass reception area just four years after it opened.
The new University College London Hospital premises in Euston cost £422million and was opened by the Queen in 2005. But the grand atrium and glass walkways which greet patients at the front desk are already in need of repairs, with insiders questioning the effectiveness of the original work.
Scaffolding can be seen in the entrance hall and the hospital admits that the planned work covers new flooring, lighting and handrails.
The situation was brought to the New Journal’s attention by a whistleblower who suggested that they had been told by bosses that the glass walkways in the front entrance were considered unsafe.
The hospital yesterday (Wednesday) denied it was unsafe but confirmed glass in the walkways was being replaced.
The staff member who spoke to the New Journal on condition of anonymity said: “We were told that a large chunk of the glass is dangerous and that it could have fallen out at anytime. Nobody warned reception staff who have been sitting beneath this glass since the hospital opened.”
The well-placed insider added: “We have been told that when the hospital was built the glass that runs alongside the bridges was not properly installed and they have been trying to get it right over the past two months.”
The building work was funded by a controversial private finance initiative (PFI). Built by a consortium including renowned construction firms Amec and Balfour Beatty, UCLH are contracted to pay a company called Health Management UCLH (HMU) plc £64m a year for 40 years to maintain the hospital.
Health academic Allyson Pollock has written widely on the issues involving the PFI and rebuilding of hospitals. She said the key question was who would foot the bill for the work.
“The contractors should come in and make good the work at no cost to the public sector,” said Ms Pollock.
Candy Udwin, who chairs the campaign group Camden Keep NHS Public and who, as a Unison shop steward at the hospital, campaigned against the PFI scheme, said: “We were told the reason why things were going to go to private companies and the NHS would be in hock to them for the next 40 years was because the building would be built on time and to very high standards. This is just not the case. PFI is a giant con.”
A UCLH spokesman yesterday denied the work was being done because of safety fears.
“A planned programme of works is under way to refresh and refurbish the atrium of University College Hospital,” the spokesman added. “We will be improving the lighting and flooring and also repainting some areas. This work has also been extended to include the walkways on the three floors above the atrium where we will be changing the handrails and replacing the glass. To ensure staff and patients are not disrupted, most of the work has been scheduled to be carried out overnight. Staff can be assured that the atrium has always met, and will continue to meet all building control regulations.”
The spokesman said that the atrium had suffered from “wear and tear because it was busy” and that “the glass was safe as it complied with Health Building Notice standards which lay down requirements for all hospital buildings. The benefit of having a PFI contract is that our PFI partners meet the majority of the costs.” |
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