Oxford Method Research Programme

The Oxford Method for the design and construction of hospital buildings evolved in the early 1960's in response to the demand to provide a large number of hospital and healthcare buildings in short time-scales and on tight budgets. Quality would be assured by adopting common "good" solutions to design problems as they arose, and then using feedback and review to constantly improve the approach. Once the production documentation, construction details and specification had been standardised and freely available to Architects working in the Oxford Region, Oxford Method became the preferred approach to the provision of new buildings whether designed "in-house" or by private sector design teams. Every major site in the former Oxford Region has an Oxford Method Building. Various generations of the Method have resulted in steel framed buildings with walls made from factory made cladding panels, Plannja profiled steel sheet or brick, and with flat or pitched roofs. 

Licences

 INSO SpA, an Italian company specialising in the design and construction of hospitals uses Oxford Method under licence. About nine major hospital developments and two Technical Institutes have been designed and built in Oxford Method in Italy.Between 1980 and 1996, income totalling around £1M was reinvested in the continuing development of Oxford Method and in the Regional Health Authority's capital programme. The licence was transferred to Milton Keynes General NHS Trust 1st April 1996. Since then a further £240K royalties have been received.

Research Programme

In accordance with the Terms of Reference of the Royalties Management Group, income is used to assist existing Oxford Method building owners in the NHS to manage and maintain their buildings, and share knowledge and experience.