Cancer unit could be up and running by Christmas

Hospitals trust rips up previous downbeat progress report

Health bosses say cancer patients could be seen in a revamped chemotherapy unit by Christmas after work begins this autumn.

The Celia Blakey Unit at the William Harvey Hospital was closed in July 2015 due to a nationwide shortage of trained nurses, and high staff turnover at the East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust.

The decision to close the unit led to some patients being told to go to the Kent and Canterbury Hospital, while others were seen in a mobile chemotherapy unit in the hospital car park.

It sparked anger from patients who were concerned by longer journey times being added to their arduous cancer treatment.

The trust had aimed to get a chemotherapy unit back up and running by July this year, but then announced delays meant it could be set back to spring 2017.

But last week the trust presented a briefing to Kent County Council’s health overview and scrutiny committee which stated the new aim was to reopen a unit by December this year, and it would be housed in the vacant site of the former Arundel Unit.

A spokesman for the trust said: “We plan to start work on the new Chemotherapy Unit at William Harvey Hospital in October.

“The work is likely to take four to six weeks to complete, which will allow the chemotherapy service to move back into the hospital in December.

“The new unit will provide all chemotherapy services previously housed in the Celia Blakey Unit. Once it is fully operational, the mobile chemotherapy bus will be relocated to other areas in Kent to offer chemotherapy in rural areas.

“The old Celia Blakey Unit will be used for other hospital services.

“The building work will include reconfiguring internal walls in the hospital’s Arundel Unit, complete redecorating and installing specialist chemotherapy equipment.

“The result will be a bright, spacious environment for patients undergoing chemotherapy.”

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Picture: Gary Browne FM2256672 The service is scheduled to be housed in the William Harvey Hospital’s former Arundel Unit, and the chemotheraphy bus currently located at the hospital will be used to serve rural areas