Highly-anticipated Radiotherapy Centre opens at Great Western Hospital
The cancer facility has been in the pipeline for several years
Last updated 22nd Jun 2022
A new £18.4 million Radiotherapy Centre officially opened at Swindon's Great Western Hospital today.
The facility means cancer patients in Swindon and North Wiltshire no longer have to travel to and from Oxford for their radiotherapy treatment. The move is estimated to save 13,000 journeys every year, with every trip covering around 35 miles each way.
Building work on the high-anticipated site started in August 2020, but the idea was first proposed more than 20 years ago.
Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust invested £15.5 million in the project, with local people collectively donating an additional £2.9 million, through charity Brighter Futures.
This Radiotherapy Appeal paid for two state-of-the-art linear accelerators and a CT scanner, amongst other specialist equipment.
'We hope many patients will have a much better experience when receiving cancer treatment'
Kevin McNamara, Chief Executive at Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: "Radiotherapy being provided from Swindon has been in the pipeline for a number of years, and I’m thrilled that we are soon going to be opening a brand-new Radiotherapy Centre right here on the Great Western Hospital site.
"Bringing radiotherapy closer to home will save thousands every year the extra travel and stress during what is an extremely difficult time.
"My thanks goes to every person who has helped us get to this stage. We hope that, with the relationship we’ve formed with Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, many patients will have a much better experience when receiving treatment for cancer".
The Centre will be fully operational to patients later this summer.