HEJ’s editor was invited to see the construction progress of a brand-new theatres project at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford.
The Surgical Elective Centre (SEC) at the John Radcliffe Hospital is one of the most significant projects for Oxford University Hospitals (OUH) over recent years, providing additional operating theatres to address waiting lists for complex routine procedures, meeting the demands of the growing population across the Thames Valley.
Adjacent to the West Wing and Children’s Hospital, this new project has significant benefits for OUH patients and staff.
The SEC will initially provide seven additional operating theatres. In addition, the dedicated hybrid theatres will give OUH patients access to the very latest in theatre technology, and enable the most up-to-date procedures to be carried out in suitable facilities, across multiple specialties.
Hybrid theatres
Inspired by American design, hybrid theatres combine medical imaging and conventional surgical suites into one treatment space that can be used for both minimally invasive and open surgical procedures. Surgeons can perform imaging, biopsy, diagnosis, and surgery in the operating theatre, which means patients do not need to be moved between an imaging suite and an operating room, so that operations can be completed more quickly and patients’ recovery times are improved.
Completion of this first phase of the building is due in late Spring 2026, with a phased opening of the new theatres from Summer 2026.
Representatives from OUH, MTX, and Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West Integrated Care Board (BOB ICB) gathered on-site to see the latest developments.
Jason Dorsett, Senior Responsible Office and Chief Finance Officer at OUH, said: “The Surgical Elective Centre is a hugely significant development for OUH.
“It’s very good news for our patients – and our staff too. This purpose-built and designed building will offer the best possible surroundings for surgery and post operative care, and enable us to tackle waiting lists and accommodate the growing population not only in Oxfordshire, but in the wider area too.”
Angus Watson, Project Lead at MTX, said: "We are delighted to be partnering with Oxford University Hospitals once again to deliver this important new surgical facility. By applying modern methods of construction alongside our specialist healthcare expertise from the earliest design concept stages, we can ensure these new theatres are delivered efficiently and to the highest clinical standards required for complex care."
