A new emergency unit with 51 beds is planned to ease the A&E experience at the JR hospital.

Hospital chiefs say construction work on the major programme to enhance urgent and emergency care at the JR is already underway.

Supported by 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.

A key part the 51-bed Emergency Assessment Unit (EAU) for adults, with a particular focus on older patients and those with complex needs.

An image of how the new emergency assessment unit should look like, once completed

placeholder image — An image of how the new emergency assessment unit should look like, once completed

The unit will provide short-stay assessment and treatment, helping teams of healthcare professionals provide care more quickly.

“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 care they more quickly, while supporting staff to work more closely together and reduce delays in treatment,” a spokesman said.

“Improving 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.

The JR Hospital, Oxford where improvements are being made to the emergency department

Working closely with community services, including Hospital at Home, the outcome 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 A&E. This will treat patients with minor illnesses and other conditions that can often be managed outside A&E, allowing emergency 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 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,” the spokesman said.