- Health Secretary has officially opened a cancer hospital in Carlisle
to make one of the biggest combined cancer treatment services
in the country
- The £35 million Northern Centre for Cancer Care, North
Cumbria, integrates cancer diagnosis and treatment across
Cumbria, with a chemotherapy day unit plus radiotherapy and CT
scanners
- The centre is the first hospital to open as part of the
government’s commitment to deliver 48 hospitals by 2030, backed
by an initial £3.7 billion
Thousands of patients in Cumbria are set to benefit from
state-of-the-art cancer diagnosis and treatment at the Northern
Centre for Cancer Care – housed in the Cumberland Infirmary in
Carlisle – which was officially opened by the Health Secretary
today
(Thursday 19 August).
Last year, the government announced details of 40 new hospitals
to be built by 2030, the largest hospital building programme in a
generation. Together with eight schemes which secured investment
through the previous government, of which this hospital is one,
this will mean 48 hospitals in total will be delivered by the end
of the decade.
The £35 million facility visited by the Secretary of State for
Health and Social Care today will be used by patients from across
north, west and east Cumbria, making it one of the biggest
combined cancer treatment services in the country.
The hospital brings new, cutting-edge services under one roof in
north Cumbria for the first time including a chemotherapy day
unit, radiotherapy machines and a CT scanner as well as
outpatients, consultation and examination rooms. The new
facilities means most adult cancer patients in Cumbria will be
able to receive care close to home, rather than having to travel.
The Health Secretary toured the hospital, spoke to frontline
staff and patients and officially opened the new facilities.
Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
said:
“I am incredibly honoured to open this cancer hospital in
Carlisle, which will support thousands of people by bringing
these vital services under one roof, as part of our commitment to
deliver 48 hospitals by 2030, backed by an initial £3.7 billion.
“Cancer diagnosis and treatment is a top priority and I am
committed to tackling the backlogs caused by this pandemic.
“The NHS is here for everyone and I look forward to seeing how
the hospital will help to diagnose and treat cancer patients
across Cumbria by levelling up cancer care in the region.”
The hospital welcomed its first patients last week, and expects
to receive 1,200 new patients a year in addition to the 2,000
patients already set to receive treatment or follow-up care at
the new centre. The expert team expects to deliver 11,500
radiotherapy treatments, 8,000 chemotherapy treatments and 4,000
supportive therapy treatments annually.
The government’s commitment to deliver 48 hospitals includes
three dedicated cancer hospitals which will provide better care
for patients, an improved working environment for staff and help
the NHS reach its net zero carbon ambition.
The commitment forms part of the Health Infrastructure Plan, a
strategic long-term investment to ensure the NHS and those
working in it have the world-class facilities they need for the
future.
Each local hospital will learn from best practice with advice
from national experts so they will be amongst the best in
country.
Dame Jackie Daniel, Chief Executive, Newcastle Hospitals
said:
“I’m delighted that we have been able to bring the Northern
Centre for Cancer Care to North Cumbria so that local people can
benefit from high quality, safe and sustainable services.
“This £35 million investment will bring specialist services
closer to the homes of the 2,000 patients each year, many of whom
would previously have needed to travel to Newcastle for care.
“I’m very proud of the whole team for delivering such high
quality services, and for their tireless work throughout the
pandemic to continue providing outstanding care.”
The government is committed to ensuring the NHS gets the support
it needs. An additional £6.6 billion was recently announced to
support the next phase of the NHS response to COVID-19, including
£594 million to continue the hospital discharge programme,
enabling patients to leave hospital as quickly and as safely as
possible. £1 billion has also been committed to help kickstart
recovery and begin addressing backlogs and tackle long waits.
This brings the total package of additional support given to our
health services for COVID-19 to £92 billion, with £63 billion for
2020/21 and £29 billion for 2021/22.
Services at the centre will be run by Newcastle upon Tyne
Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust as part of the Northern Centre for
Cancer Care, which also has a site in Newcastle.
Notes to editors
