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In 2023, Nuffield Oxford Hospitals Fund provided funding to refurbish the Rob Smith Centre (RSC)

Rob Smith Centre- Teaching area 1

Written by Dr Monique Andersson,  Consultant in Clinical Infection and Co-Director Undergraduate Medical Education Oxford University Hospitals NHS  Foundation Trust, Department of Microbiology.

Rob Smith Centre- Seating area with red sofasThank you so much to the NOHF for supporting the refurbishment of the Robb Smith Centre. We are delighted that the work has been completed and that students are using this space for rest and relaxation and that it is available for booking teaching sessions. 

The RSC is a ~120m2 area of secure estate, next to the Department of Dermatology at the Churchill Hospital. The space provides a base for medical students and includes changing areas, locker space, showers, kitchenette, seating area for relaxation and two seminar rooms. The seminar rooms can be split into two smaller spaces or opened into a single space seating around 40 students.

 The funding from NOHF has enabled us to purchase two desk-top computers which have internet and OUH intranet connection, 6 small tables, comfortable sofas to seat 10-12 students and a lockable cupboard. The desktop computers have been linked to the Trust intranet and will allow students to engage with clinical cases more readily. The 6 small tables have been arranged in the seminar room and will be used for small group work. The space can accommodate around 24 students. This will support the shift in medical education pedagogy away from didactic to group work. The small lockable cupboard provides place for the management staff to store consumables needed to manage the space. 

Computer on a desk

The cost of removing and replacing the lockers was prohibitive so we have refurbished them to ensure that there are enough for the number of students at the Churchill at any one time. We will monitor this situation with feedback from students.

There is a large screen in the seminar room, which has been serviced and connected to a working computer. It is connected to the internet and can be used to connect the four hospital sites and any Teams teaching. The plumbing has been upgraded and hot water is now available for the showers. The heating is being reviewed by Estates and we are working with them on this to ensure there is a solution in the near future.

The management of the site has recently been taken over by the OUH GPEC Education Team who monitor weekly to ensure it is tidy and report any problems. There is a QR code in the RSC with link for students to provide feedback. This will inform the ongoing programme of review and improvement. Our thanks go to the NOHF for providing this funding to refurbish this space. We look forward to seeing this space developing in its usefulness over the next year as a space for both rest and relaxation and UGME teaching.