An artist’s impression of the new facility. Image OUH

A new surgical elective centre incorporating seven new operating theatres will be built at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford by modern methods of construction specialist, MTX Contracts Ltd.

On completion, the building will provide additional operating theatres to address waiting lists for elective (routine) procedures, as well as meet the demands of the expanding population in Oxfordshire, Berkshire, and Buckinghamshire.

The five-storey surgical hub for Oxford University Hospitals (OUH) NHS Foundation Trust will be built on the site of an existing car park at the John Radcliffe Hospital and will connect to the theatre suites in the existing West Wing building.

The 7,541sq m facility will include dedicated hybrid theatres designed to give the trust a leading edge and enable it to offer the most-up-to-date procedures in suitable facilities and across multiple specialities.

Hybrid operating theatres combine medical imaging and conventional surgical suites into one treatment space that can be used for both minimally-invasive and open surgical procedures.

They allow surgeons to perform imaging, biopsy, diagnosis, and surgery in the same room and remove the need to move a patient between an imaging suite and an operating room – which means operations can be completed more quickly and improves recovery time for patients.

The project also includes associated infrastructure, landscaping, and parking.

Previous projects by MTX at John Radcliffe Hospital include the award-winning 48-bed critical care building which was completed from initial design to handover in just 15 months, employing a ‘hybrid’ construction method and rapid design and planning process.

The five-storey structure used 148 offsite-manufactured steel structural units craned into position floor by floor.

MTX managing director, David Hartley, said: “NHS trusts are increasingly using modern methods of construction to provide new facilities in shorter time scales.

“Our expertise in more effectively applying MMC principles is proven to deliver compliant, high-quality new hospital facilities through a greener, safer build process that is also more cost effective, ensuring an earlier return on investment for the trust and improved outcomes for patients.”