Oxford Method Research Programme

1. The original Accident and Emergency department at Milton Keynes Hospital forms part of the Phase 1 development in "Oxford Method 6M" construction. These Phase 1 works were carried out during approximately 1981-82 and comprised the first major development utilising this version of the Oxford Method system of hospital construction.
2. Stanhope Wilkinson Associates were appointed as architects for the design of an extension to the A & E Department, in August 1999. M & E consultants to the project were Messrs. Couch Perry Wilkes (CPW); the project engineer, Mike Crowther, had prior experience of Oxford Method M & E installation, gained at ORHA Estates Department. The project QS, Joffre Webb, similarly had prior knowledge of 6M construction. The project structural engineers were, Messrs. Stuart Thomas Associated ltd, who had no previous knowledge of the 6M system.
3. The design period from inception to tender, was July to December 1999. The construction period was March to September 2000. Works were carried out by Messrs Jarvis Contracting Ltd of Harpenden at a construction value of approximately £470,000.00.
4. The extension comprises a single-storey ground floor building, abutting the original two-storey "6M" building and of approximate floor area 316m². At an early stage of design, the Trust wished to create the opportunity for a future hospital extension, at first floor level over the A & E extension. Design of the foundations, steel frame, roof slab and roof finishes has been adapted to allow this future possibility.
5. An early design decision was made closely to match the external appearance of the original "6M" building, both for reasons of consistency and for ease of achieving planning permission. Other aspects of the original 6M construction were also adopted, including the 600mm planning grid; general structural layout; floor and ceiling levels, including structure/services zones; ceiling construction; partition construction. A partial set of record drawings were made available by the Trust, as a basis for the new construction. A partial set of record drawings were made available by the Trust, as a basis for the new construction drawings. Copies of the original construction specifications for Milton Keynes Hospital were not available, but comparable partial specifications for other later 6M projects were sourced elsewhere.
6. A direct re-creation of all aspects of the original 6M construction was not possible, for reasons which included:
   a) subsequent changes to Building Control and other legislative requirements, such as thermal insulation standards and construction for fire safety
   b) project-specific design adaptations required for the intended first floor extension
   c) original building components no longer being commercially available; for example, the "Plannja" profiled metal cladding is no longer manufactured to the original "6M" profile
   d) simplification of the original construction details, all in order to achieve project cost savings; for example, a simplified lattice beam construction was adopted.
7. Summary descriptions of the original 6M construction, and of variations from this construction at the A & E project, are included in following sections.

At the abutment to the original building, the majority of the original profiled cladding was left in place and overclad in plasterboard to form new internal wall finishes. However, a number of new link doorways were formed through the existing external wall, and this gave the opportunity to break out, inspect and record the condition of the original wall components. Observations are summarised in following sections.