Hospital chiefs may sue over botch scandal

HOSPITAL bosses could sue architects or subcontractors involved in the botched construction of Liverpool’s new flagship hospital, it emerged yesterday.

Directors of the Royal Liverpool University Hospital said they are exploring, along with Department of Health lawyers, whether legal action can be taken after structural problems were uncovered near to the completion of the 646-bed facility.

A host of issues have been identified including cracks in supporting concrete columns, resulting in three, virtually-finished floors having to be ripped out for steel beams to be inserted. On top of this, about a quarter of the hospital exterior’s cladding, put up by original contractor Carillion, does not meet fire regulations and is being replaced.

Local politicians have already called for an independent inquiry into the scandal – which could see the hospital completed up to five years late and more than £200million over budget. The taxpayer has picked up the bill following the collapse of Carillion in January last year, having been tasked as part of a £335million initiative to deliver the project by 2017.

Paul Bradshaw, the Royal’s finance director, said that – as Carillion now has no assets – they were looking into whether others could be held accountable. ‘Ultimately, it will be up to a court to decide where the blame lies,’ he said.

Architects HKS and NBBJ were involved in the hospital’s design, but it is understood Carillion used their own engineering firm TPS. NBBJ and HKS declined to comment yesterday.