New emergency department facilities open at the Horton General Hospital

Improvement works at the hospital, run by Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, started in the last quarter of 2020 and were completed in earlier this year.

The Majors area at the Horton General Hospital Emergency Department has been expanded, and now has separate areas for paediatric and adult spaces. Four additional patient cubicles have also been built through the relocation and re-provision of staff offices, including a dedicated infection control bay.

A total of £750,000, funded by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), was used for the project to benefit patients at the Horton and in north Oxfordshire. Horton General Hospital Charity donated £50,000 towards the paediatric area, alongside additional funding from NHS.

Michelle Brock, Matron of the Horton General Hospital's Emergency Department, said: "This exciting expansion at the Horton Emergency Department will enhance urgent and emergency care for those in north Oxfordshire, and will be of huge benefit to both staff and patients in the local community.

"The new paediatric area means that when a child needs to come to the Emergency Department they can be treated in a separate and calmer environment, which is really important when you are trying to provide them with the care they need and reduce their anxiety."

Refurbishment of the Majors area at the John Radcliffe Hospital has also been completed.

The newly refurbished Majors area at the John Radcliffe Hospital, where patients who are seriously ill but not in a life-threatening condition are treated, included: five upgraded assessment bays and one new assessment room, an upgraded staff base and additional storage areas.

Work at the John Radcliffe was boosted by an investment of £950,000, funded by the DHSC, and is in addition to other recent work at the Emergency Department, including the completion of the Emergency Department expansion, a new CT scanner, and renovation of the Children's Emergency Department.

Dr Bruno Holthof, chief executive officer at Oxford University Hospitals, said: "These Emergency Department improvements at the John Radcliffe and Horton General hospitals will help us continue to deliver high-quality care to patients in Oxfordshire and beyond.

"We’re very excited that these projects are completed and operational as they will provide a better patient experience for those who require our care, as well as a better working environment for staff.

"We have incredibly talented and dedicated staff in our Emergency Departments, and these new facilities enhance the care that they will be able to give patients within minutes of walking through our doors.

"I would like to thank our patients and staff for their patience and support while works were ongoing."