Two NHS trusts in top five most flooded sites in the country

A new report shows two South London NHS trusts are in the top five most flooded sites in the country.

A new report released by the not-for-profit, Round Our Way, has highlighted the top 10 most flooded NHS trusts in the UK.

The report shows an analysis of increasing flooding events in the NHS and its impact on patients.

Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust and King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust were fourth and fifth respectively in the top five most flooded sites, with 16 incidents between them. 

Between April 2021 and March 2022 there were 176 flooding incidents at NHS sites.

This flooding primarily caused disruption at “general acute hospitals”, which provide inpatient medical care, surgery and services for acute medical conditions or injuries.

Professor Maggie Rae, President of the Royal Society of Medicine’s Epidemiology & Public Health Section, said: “Flooding has the potential to be a major public health issue. 

“As well as the direct risks to life and health, this report is a timely reminder that flooding can knock out the infrastructure we rely on to access and deliver healthcare, such as hospitals, roads and communications. 

“We also must not forget the major effect flooding can have on people’s mental health.

“It is acknowledged that the NHS is already overstretched dealing with the burden of disease in our country.”

According to the most recent UK Climate Risk Assessment, one in 10 hospitals in England are at “significant risk” from flooding.

This risk is only predicted to increase in the 2050s and 2080s with climate change, the dominant force driving flooding rates up.

A spokeswoman for Lewisham and Greenwich NHS trust said: “The majority of the nine incidents recorded under ‘flood occurences triggering a risk assessment’ in the Estates Return Information Collection (ERIC) for 2020/21 related to minor roof leaks and blocked drains across our two hospitals and community sites. 

“The positioning of the Ravensbourne River and Ladywell Fields behind University Hospital Lewisham is designed to reduce the risk of flood.

“In addition, the Environment Agency has improved local flood defences to protect the hospital building and further improvements are planned.”

Pictured top: Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust (Picture: Google Street View)