THE Scottish Government has said no hospital in the country has the type of cladding which was used on Grenfell Tower.
It follows concerns raised by Scottish LibDem leader Alex Cole-Hamilton about Edinburgh’s new Sick Kids Hospital.
Cole-Hamilton has written to Health Secretary Humza Yousaf about “very concerning revelations that the Sick Kids Hospital in Edinburgh is currently covered in cladding similar to that used on Grenfell Tower”.
Cole-Hamilton asked for assurances that the building was safe and whether the cladding at the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People (RHCYP) complies with building standards.
He said: “The exterior of the hospital is covered in an aluminium composite material.
“It is my understanding that NHS Lothian has carried out safety checks and maintain that the cladding on the hospital is safe.
“However, as you no doubt know, a document given to the leadership at NHS Lothian in January stated that the building standards, and in particular the cavity barriers, at the Sick Kids hospital were not compliant, due to them being installed every 20 metres rather than the recommended 10-metre spacing.”
Cole-Hamilton went on to say it was “also unclear whether the building complies with the Scottish Government’s updated notice on how to determine the risk posed by cladding on buildings”.
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “No cladding of the type that was used in Grenfell Tower are used in any Scottish hospital, including the RHCYP. NHS Lothian is developing a programme of work to ensure all cavity barriers in use at the RHCYP are fully compliant with safety regulations.
“The board has been clear that the hospital is a safe place of care.”
An inquiry is investigating construction issues at the RHCYP whose opening was delayed.
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