For the patient...

It is important that patients attending for cancer treatment are cared for within a pleasant environment. It can be a very stressful and emotional time and the atmosphere and environment can go a long way to improve the patient experience.

Currently patients stay mainly in 6 bedded bays within a mixed ward environment with some single bed cubicles for severely ill patients. In the new centre the patients will be cared for in 4 bedded bays with a large number of  single rooms with en suite bathrooms. This will have a significant improvement on patients privacy and dignity and go some way to ease the distress caused by a cancer diagnosis and subsequent treatment.

The new centre is built around a central atrium which has at its heart a large courtyard which has been partly funded by the Charlie Bear charity.  This will be accessible by both staff and patients and will provide a pleasant environment for relaxation. Additional facilities for patients include a cancer information centre, café and shop.

Overall the new centre will provide an environment that will improve the patients’ experience and the working lives of staff in the department.

For treatment...

The new centre supports the rationalisation of our adult cancer chemotherapy services to designated, purpose built facilities within the Freeman Hospital.

The radiotherapy department provides improved facilities and services for both patients and staff.   With 8 linear accelerators the department will be able to increase capacity.  Although waiting times for radiotherapy at Newcastle are currently well within national targets the new technology allows increased throughput and technical advancements in treatment delivery.

The equipment portfolio at the new centre includes a tomotherapy treatment machine. This is a state of the art radiotherapy machine that can deliver "tailor- made" radiotherapy treatment using this new technology. This enables treatment to certain areas that previously could not be treated using radiotherapy and may also allow curative doses to be given where previously this could not be achieved.  It is only the fourth tomotherapy machine of its kind installed in the UK. This machine also supports participation in clinical trials using radiotherapy.