A MAJOR expansion and redevelopment of housing for Oxford NHS staff is being planned to help solve the city's staffing crisis.

Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and housing provider A2Dominion are working together on the scheme which includes 125 flats in Ivy Lane for John Radcliffe workers and 19 in Churchill Drive for Churchill Hospital employees.

ALSO READ: Oxford hospital to close amid NHS staffing crisis

Both applications, which were submitted to Oxford City Council last month, will require demolishing the original hospital accommodation and create an additional 51 homes.

John Drew, director of improvement and culture at the trust, said: “We want to do as much as possible to help our new staff settle into the area, and this includes helping with the high cost of living locally.

“Most people want to reduce their journey times and many would prefer to walk or cycle to work, so working with A2Dominion to modernise and expand this accommodation is essential.

He added: “The new accommodation will help us to recruit and retain the skilled workforce that we need.”

Oxford Mail:

It comes after Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust revealed last week a desperate shortage of NHS nurses would force Oxford's community hospital to temporarily close at the end of the month for safety reasons.

Oxfordshire’s NHS services, along with others across the country, have been battling a staffing crisis for a number of years with the high cost of living in the area said to be the main barrier to attracting new staff.

A design and access statement submitted with the Ivy Lane application said existing accommodation at the site was now ‘sub-standard’ and knocking the current building down and redeveloping was the ‘most viable’ option.

ALSO READ: 'We need a multi-storey car park at John Radcliffe - something must be done'

Jim Smith, A2Dominion’s development manager, said: “The opportunity to provide additional key worker accommodation on both hospital sites reflects our social housing roots and commitment to the Oxford community.

"On completion of the scheme, there will be 431 rooms at the Churchill and the John Radcliffe."

He added if planning permission was granted the company expected the project to take four years to complete.

To the current plans or comment before the June 8 deadline visit oxford.gov.uk.