QEH King's Lynn roof being held up by 'a steel mechano set'

Lynn’s Queen Elizabeth Hospital suffered further stress in the midst of the current Covid crisis when a part of its failing roof needed propping up in the maternity unit.

This month alone the hospital has been forced to put up 20 temporary props in eight different areas of the hospital as the situation has worsened.

There was no threat of injury as action was taken to shore up the ceiling in maternity - but just 24 hours earlier a mother had been giving birth in that very area.

The QEH has launched a Back Our Bid Build Our Future campaign with the Lynn News to win support for permission to build a new £540 million hospital.

When built 40 years ago the site in Gaywood was expected to have a 30-year lifespan.

Mark Johnston-Wood, deputy associate director of estates and facilities for the QEH, said: “In layman’s terms the roof is now being propped up by what is essentially a steel Meccano set.

“Due to the pandemic and the sheer volume of patients passing through our doors, there has now been added pressure on the hospital.

“It is such a vital part of our local infrastructure and has served the public in so many ways over the years, but we think if this carries on we have less than a decade left of use.

“We have managed to put the props in where we can, and the swift response has been magnificent, but with the roof falling in on essential parts of the hospital such as the maternity unit we need to look to the future.”