Dyson cancer centre officially welcomes in patients

The new Dyson Cancer Centre is located near the main entrance of the RUH

The Dyson Cancer Centre at the Royal United Hospitals (RUH) Bath has officially opened its doors to patients.

From today, anyone awaiting cancer treatments or services in the Bath area will attend the new centre that includes the RUH’s oncology, chemotherapy and radiotherapy services, a 22-bed inpatient ward and dedicated pharmacy, as well as a research team and nuclear medicine and physics teams.

Serving more than half million people in the South West, the centre aims to bring many of the RUH’s cancer services under one roof.

It was expected to open at the end of 2023 but was delayed due to a shortage of engineers.

The centre houses the RUH’s oncology, chemotherapy and radiotherapy services

At present, the hospital has one of the largest cancer facilities in the region and is capable of diagnosing 2,200 new patients every year.

A key feature of the three-storey centre is the Macmillan Wellbeing Hub, funded by Macmillan Cancer Support. The Macmillan Wellbeing Hub provides a welcoming, non-clinical space designed around the needs of patients and their families.

It includes counselling rooms, complementary therapy spaces, an information area, and comfortable accommodation, where relatives and loved ones can stay overnight.

Ros Helps, RUH's lead cancer nurse said: “From the welcoming and light-filled atrium and waiting rooms, through to the carefully designed treatment suite, modern inpatient ward, radiotherapy facilities and research lab - we’ve looked at every aspect of cancer care so we can provide the best environment and experience for the people we care for.”

The centre also boasts a chemotherapy suite as well as cancer research teams

The £50m centre houses the RUH’s oncology, chemotherapy and radiotherapy services, a 22-bed inpatient ward, a dedicated pharmacy, research team and nuclear medicine and physics teams.

It was supported by more than £40m of government funding as well as a £4m donation from The James Dyson Foundation.

In addition, the Macmillan Cancer Support charity donated £1.5m and a further £1m was donated by the Medlock Charitable Trust. RUHX, the official charity of the trust, also raised £5m for the project.

James Dyson, founder and chief engineer, said Bath had desperately needed a new cancer hospital, dubbing the former department as "very old" and "non-fit for purpose".

He said he hoped the new centre would be an "uplifting place – filled with light, art, space and views of nature – for patients and their families, as well as the hospital staff who care for them”.