As work continues at the Royal United Hospitals (RUH) Bath NHS Foundation Trust to build the new Dyson Cancer Centre, the RUH has provided an update on progress, including a revised opening date. The centre is expected to welcome patients in spring 2024 rather than at the end of 2023.
Construction has progressed well since the RUH broke ground in 2021 but a shortage of engineers to complete some of the complex internal engineering work means completion of the centre will take a little longer than originally planned.
Libby Walters, RUH Chief Financial Officer, said: “We know how disappointing this will be for our patients, staff and our wider community and we are very sorry. “We are maintaining the highest quality build whilst also allowing enough time to safely equip the new building, deep clean it and ensure our staff are familiar with their new working environment. We’ll be ready to welcome patients in spring 2024 and will confirm an exact opening date as soon as possible.”
Once open, the Dyson Cancer Centre will bring together the majority of the RUH’s cancer services, including research, under one roof. It will provide oncology, chemotherapy and radiotherapy services and a 22-bed inpatient ward as well as a Macmillan Wellbeing Hub. The centre will provide a nurturing and therapeutic environment, with a ‘land, water, sky’ theme, making extensive use of natural light and external spaces as well as the work of local artists and designers.
Ros Helps, RUH Lead Cancer Nurse said: “Anyone who has been to the RUH recently will have seen the impressive three storey Dyson Cancer Centre. The exterior is complete and all the activity is focused on finishing the interior, including the light filled atrium that will provide such a welcoming space for our patients and their loved ones. In the New Year we’ll take possession of the building and start fitting it out with all the equipment we need to care for patients.
“We’re really excited about the incredible new facility we are creating, and the difference it will make to our community. As we enter this final phase there will be no disruption to our cancer services and we will continue to provide high quality care from our current facilities at the RUH until the new centre is ready.”
A summary of construction progress can be seen here https://youtu.be/aE4GaEK_SpM The £50m Dyson Cancer Centre is backed by over £40m in Government funding and supported in part by a £4m donation from The James Dyson Foundation to create a cancer services hub for half a million people in the South West of England. A further £1m was donated by the Medlock Charitable Trust, £1.5m by Macmillan Cancer Support and £5m was also raised by RUHX (formerly known as The Forever Friends Appeal), the official charity of the Trust, thanks to the kindness and compassion of thousands of supporters.
