A LENGHTY investigation into the 'structural intergrity' of Wycombe Hospital reveals it's at the 'end of its lifecycle'.

Hefty scaffolding on thw tower block will remain for the 'foreseeable future' as structural investigations continue.

Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust (BHT) said they have applied for £200m in funding as part of the hospital infrustructure. 

As a precautionary measure, the Trust erected scaffolding around the tower to ensure the safety of patients, staff, visitors and members of the public.

The Trust said they are working hard to ensure services based in the tower can operate as normal while it seeks to secure funding to provide replacement facilities.

A spokesman for BHT said: "For two years the Trust has been diligent in raising issues regarding Wycombe Hospital tower through the appropriate NHS reporting structure. The Trust has been swift to put safety mitigations in place to protect patients, public and staff.

"The Trust is working with NHS England to work through a timely solution and has applied for £200m funding as part of the hospital infrastructure programme."

Having undergone extensive structural investigations, the Trust has concluded that it is at the "end of its lifecycle and requires replacement."

The Trust added: "As a result of the investigations the tower needed to have many of its external panels removed and external guttering repaired. In addition, the internal structure does not allow any modifications to the building to make it more appropriate for a modern healthcare environment.

"Because the building is being closely monitored with a rolling programme of maintenance work there are no immediate safety issues or concerns. The scaffolding has been erected to support the ongoing maintenance programme and ensure there is no disruption to services or to the safety of Trust patients and staff while we are on the journey to replace the structure. "