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Hospital trauma beds relocated amid ‘serious’ cladding and fire safety concerns

Two wards of inpatient beds at a hospital trauma unit are to be transferred after a report revealed ‘serious and embedded fire safety risks’.
John Radcliffe Hospital

Beds at a hospital trauma unit are to be transferred after a report revealed ‘serious and embedded’ fire safety concerns.


A total of 52 beds at the John Radcliffe Hospital trauma unit in Oxford will be
relocated to other parts of the hospital on Friday 4 August. Picture: Alamy

The board of Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust made the decision to relocate 52 beds at the trauma unit at the John Radcliffe Hospital following a review of cladded buildings at its four sites in the wake of the Grenfell Tower blaze.

The beds will be moved to other parts of the hospital on 4 August ahead of improvement works at the trauma unit building, which are expected to last up to 12 months.

Independent fire safety

The decision was made at an extraordinary meeting last week after independent fire safety consultancy Trenton Fire presented its report on fire safety, which was commissioned in the wake of the Grenfell Tower blaze in June.

Although the cladding used on the trauma unit is not the same variety as the London block, a spokesperson for the trust confirmed it had been deemed ‘not sufficiently fire retardant to meet current standards’.

The report said the building has 'serious and embedded fire safety issues', including the fire alarm and escape provision.

Extra staff

The trust also said a number of extra staff, including nurses, will be on hand to assist with the transfer of patients from the affected wards.

They said: ‘Since the decision was made we’ve been busy putting our contingency plan into effect, which is to create two new wards elsewhere in the hospital and transfer all patients and staff into them.

‘So far we have one empty ward ready and are preparing the other. On the day the transfer takes place there will be extra staff on shift since we will effectively be running four wards at once.

‘Pay tribute’

‘However, by the time the night shift come on duty that day we are confident everything will be back to normal.

‘We want to pay tribute to all our staff for being absolutely fantastic while this transfer has been prepared.’

Parts of the building, including an outpatient clinic on the ground floor, will remain open during works.

Further information

Fire engineering report Trauma Building Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 


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