Bath: Dyson Cancer Centre will reduce stress, says patient

"It will be a less stressful environment," said Mike Taylor

A long-awaited cancer centre will be a "less stressful environment" for those having treatment, a patient says.

The £50m Dyson Cancer Centre is due to open at the Royal United Hospital [RUH] in Bath later this month.

It will bring together the majority of the RUH's cancer services, including research, under one roof.

Mike Taylor, who has been undergoing treatment for bowel cancer, said staff were currently providing "amazing" care "despite the environment".

There is "no comparison at all in terms of the physical environment", he said, describing the new building as big with "loads more space".

Patients will be able to choose a view to watch from their bed, including of fish swimming in a tank

The three-storey centre will provide services including oncology, chemotherapy and radiotherapy services, acting as a hub for more than 500,000 people in the South West.

The purpose-built facility will also house a research lab, a 22-bed inpatient ward, counselling rooms, therapy spaces and accommodation for patients' loved ones to use.

Prof Mark Beresford said the centre has "very good access" to clinical trials and cancer drugs

RUH oncologist Prof Mark Beresford said: "We have got so many more treatments for patients and patients are doing much better, even with advanced disease, but that does mean that people are spending a lot of time in the hospital.

"Sometimes people with incurable cancer will spend many days of their final months here in the hospital, so it's really crucial that we have a nice environment for them."

Staff are expecting to treat 2,000-3,000 new patients every year

Mr Taylor was diagnosed with early stage bowel cancer last September and has undergone chemotherapy and robotic surgery.

'World of difference'

He explained the chemotherapy can make patients hyper-sensitive to the cold and the current unit requires patients to move through cold corridors.

"The standard of care over there is amazing, but everyone is doing it despite the environment that they're working in," he said.

"Having it all in the nice new building where it has all the same temperatures will be lovely.

"So [there's] no comparison at all in terms of the physical environment."

Ros Helps said staff had dreamed of creating an outdoor space for a long time

Most of the inpatient beds have views outside to help to create a calming environment.

There is also a garden area with doors that beds can fit through.

"We have been dreaming about this for a long time," said Ros Helps, lead cancer nurse at the RUH.

She added the space and facilities were "just going to make a world of difference".