OUH among most improved NHS trusts for urgent and emergency care

Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (OUH) is among the most improved NHS trusts in England for urgent and emergency care (UEC) performance in 2025/26.

Thanks to the continued dedication and hard work of colleagues across the Trust, OUH achieved a significant year-on-year improvement in terms of how many patients are seen, treated and either discharged or admitted to hospital within four hours of attending an Emergency Department.

The Trust has two Emergency Departments – one at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford, and the other at the Horton General Hospital in Banbury.

The Trust’s four-hour performance rose from 68.4% of patients being seen within four hours in March 2025 to 80.2% in March 2026.

The progress reflects a collective effort across clinical and operational teams to enhance patient flow, reduce waiting times, and strengthen services during periods of high demand.

Felicity Taylor-Drewe, Chief Operating Officer at OUH, said: “This improvement is a demonstration of all of the hard work and commitment of our staff, who are incredibly passionate about providing urgent and emergency care.

“This has been a real team effort both within OUH and with our colleagues across the health and social care system. The bigger picture that we’re all committed to is preventing unnecessary hospital admissions, providing hospital-level care closer to home, and making sure that people are not in hospital for any longer than they need to be.

“While this four-hour wait improvement is impressive, there is always more to be done.  People can help us by choosing their healthcare services wisely – Emergency Departments are for genuine emergencies. Please consider using NHS 111, your local GP, or local pharmacist if you don’t need life-saving medical care.

“Thank you again to everyone involved in helping us make these improvements.”