Urgent and Emergency Care works underway at John Radcliffe Hospital

Construction work on a major programme to enhance urgent and emergency care at the John Radcliffe Hospital is underway.

Supported by national NHS capital funding, the £11 million Urgent and Emergency Care (UEC) project is designed to help patients access care more quickly, improve their experience, and ensure people receive the most appropriate treatment for their needs.

The development will transform currently unused space on Level 1 of the John Radcliffe, part of Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (OUH), into a range of new facilities that will help patients access the care they need more quickly, while supporting staff to work more closely together and reduce delays in treatment.

Improving both patient and staff experience has been a key focus throughout the design of the new facilities.

The project is in the delivery phase, with construction work having started earlier this year. Subject to continued progress, the new facilities are expected to open in phases from spring 2027.

A key part of the development is a new 51-bed Emergency Assessment Unit (EAU) for adult patients, with a particular focus on older patients and those with complex needs. The unit will provide short-stay assessment and treatment, helping teams of healthcare professionals provide care more quickly.

Working closely with community services, including Hospital at Home, it is also expected to help reduce patients’ length of stay and support more people to receive care closer to home where appropriate.

The programme will also create a new Urgent Treatment Centre (UTC) next to the Emergency Department. The UTC will treat patients with minor illnesses and other conditions that can often be managed outside the Emergency Department, allowing Emergency Department teams to focus on those with more serious needs.

For children and young people, plans include a dedicated observation area for short-term monitoring outside the Paediatric Emergency Department, as well as new cubicles designed to provide a more appropriate environment for those with mental health concerns.

Additional space will be created for same-day emergency care (Extended Emergency Medicine Ambulatory Care, EEMAC), enabling more adult patients to be assessed, treated and discharged on the same day without needing to be admitted to hospital.

OUH is also committed to investment across the Trust to improve all of its urgent and emergency care services.

Felicity Taylor-Drewe, Chief Operating Officer at OUH, said: “This project represents a significant investment in the future of urgent and emergency care at the John Radcliffe Hospital.

“The new facilities will help us reduce delays in care, enhance the experience of patients and staff, and support our teams to deliver high-quality care in the most appropriate setting.

“We are pleased that work is well underway and look forward to seeing the benefits for patients and colleagues once it is completed.”