Hospital patients escape injury as roof collapses at Doncaster Royal Infimary

A huge chunk of plaster fell away from a corridor at the Armthorpe Road site this morning, sending dust and debris crashing onto the floor.

It is the latest in a long-line of problems at the ageing hospital – which was turned down for Government funding earlier this year.

Plans have long been in the pipeline for a brand new hospital at the waterfront site next to Doncaster College - but in April, the Conservative government rejected Doncaster’s £1.37 billion plan to replace the existing hospital, much of which was built in the 1960s.

A spokesman for Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said: “Unfortunately, a large section of plaster has fallen from the celling in the corridor which connects our Education Centre and Endoscopy at Doncaster Royal Infirmary.

"This is the result of leaks within the flat roof above, which have compounded over time.

“Fortunately, nobody was harmed when the plaster came down, however this is the daily reality of working with a site which has a maintenance backlog which runs into the hundreds of millions, and is need of replacement.

“Colleagues are now working hard to repair the ceiling, however we ask visitors who may be coming to endoscopy to be mindful that some of our access corridors may be shut until works are complete. If you get lost, please ask a colleague for help.”

Doncaster Mayor Ros Jones and the city’s MPs have said they will continue to lobby the Government over a new hospital.

Earlier this year Mayor Jones said: "I am immensely disappointed that our Doncaster bid for a new hospital has been turned down by government.

"Our bid was incredibly strong, highlighting the far-reaching benefits for health and medical provision that a state-of-the-art new hospital would bring as well as social and economic benefits for the people of our city and the region.

"We are in urgent need of a new hospital."

There are also around 600 outstanding maintenance jobs across the estate, with an estimated value of £118m.

In 2017, part of a lift crashed through a roof at DRI while in 2021, the hospital was hit by two huge water leaks.