John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford is shutting it's Trauma Unit for up to a year after a report identified fire safety issues on the building's cladding.

A report by Trenton Fire to the Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust recommended improving fire safety at the building after it was identified as a risk following a review of the hospital's cladded buildings due to the Grenfell Tower fire.

The Trust said: "An extraordinary Board Meeting was held on Thursday 27 July, and a decision made in light of the report's recommendations, to plan to move the 52 inpatient beds from the Trauma Unit to wards within the John Radcliffe Hospital.


"The Trust is putting its contingency planning in place and preparing the wards to receive patients from the Trauma Unit.

"The Report by Trenton Fire have made a number of recommendations that the Trust will need to put in place to improve fire safety before the building can be reoccupied as an inpatient unit, including replacing cladding. It is important to note that the recommendation to move patients is not just because of the cladding, but because of a combination of fire safety factors with this building, making it currently unsuitable for inpatients.

It is expected works will take up to 12 months to carry out.

Dr Bruno Holthof, Chief Executive of Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said: "Our highest priority is the patients in our care and our staff who are dedicated in their care for those patients. In common with many other organisations with public buildings, the Trust has been reviewing its fire safety procedures and systems following the tragic events in London."

(LM)