THE KEYS to the county’s first ever radiotherapy centre have been officially handed over to the Acute Trust after building work was completed.
Final preparations are now underway to make sure Worcestershire Oncology Centre is ready to accept its first radiotherapy patients in January 2015.
Building work in the grounds of Worcestershire Royal Hospital started in March 2013 and took 18 months to complete.
Harry Turner, Chairman of Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, took hold of the keys last Tuesday.
“I would like to say a huge thank you to our various partners and individuals who have worked tirelessly to bring our oncology centre to fruition,” he said.
“We have all watched excitedly as the building has grown out of the ground.
“We now have a magnificent state-of-the-art centre which, when it’s open, will put Worcestershire on the map as one of the country’s top cancer care providers, using the latest technology and treatment to provide the highest quality care and best outcomes for patients, as well as holistic support.”
Over the next few weeks work will be continuing to ensure the new teams who will be running the centre and delivering the new service are fully inducted and all of the necessary equipment, systems and processes are in place to ensure patients receive a first class service.
For patients, their families and their carers, who currently travel to Coventry, Cheltenham or Wolverhampton for radiotherapy treatment, cancer services will be more accessible than ever, saving an estimated one million miles of travel every year.
Developed in partnership with University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust, the centre, based at Worcestershire Royal Hospital, will enable 95 per cent of radiotherapy to be delivered within Worcestershire.
The centre currently has three linear accelerator machines, the machines that deliver the radiotherapy treatment, with space for a further two in the future if required.
David Moon, chief strategy officer at University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust, said: “We are very pleased to have supported Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust with the exciting development of the Worcestershire Oncology Centre.
“Special thanks should be given to the UHCW Oncology Project Team members who have contributed significantly in bringing this project to fruition. We look forward to working with our partners in Worcestershire to improve cancer care for all our patients as we build our strategic partnership.”
