Multi-million pound plans to expand cancer services at the Friarage Hospital have been unveiled.
Macmillan Cancer Support has been working with South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust to develop proposals for a new cancer centre at the Northallerton hospital.
North Yorkshire-based philanthropist, Sir Robert Ogden, is jointly funding the project with Macmillan - his third similar project in partnership with the charity.
The building would be known as the Sir Robert Ogden Macmillan Centre.
Patients, staff and visitors are being given the opportunity to have their say on the proposed development ahead of a planning application being submitted to Hambleton District Council.
The building, which will cost in the region of £10m, will create a modern, state-of-the-art facility for patients, carers and relatives and will include:
- A chemotherapy treatment lounge with capacity to treat up to 35 patients a day
- Complementary therapy facilities
- Treatment and consulting rooms
- A Macmillan cancer information and support centre
- Supporting accommodation, including telemedicine facilities
If planning permission is granted, building work on the new centre could begin this summer, with the project completed by the summer of 2018.
Sir Robert said: “I am delighted to fund this, my third cancer treatment centre in Yorkshire. The design of each one will be improved on, learning from its predecessor.”
Paul McCavana, Macmillan head of services for the North, added: “This is a fantastic opportunity to provide a state-of-the art cancer care facility, all under one roof, for people in and around Northallerton.
“It will provide a space for patients to have all their needs assessed, not just physical and clinical, but their financial, emotional and psychological needs too.
“That will help to ensure there’s a more-joined-up service.”
“We’re pleased to now be in a position, with our partners at South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, to showcase the plans and to acknowledge the generosity shown once again by Sir Robert Ogden.”
And the trust’s chief executive, Siobhan McArdle, said: “We are excited to be working with Macmillan to build this fantastic facility at the Friarage.
“This centre will enable us to further enhance our delivery of leading-edge cancer services closer to the population we serve.
“This project, along with the new MRI scanner and other planned service developments, demonstrates our long-term commitment to delivering clinically-safe and sustainable services to the people of Hambleton, Richmondshire, Whitby and the surrounding area from our Friarage site.
Currently, the Friarage provides diagnostic cancer services for lung, upper GI, urology, gynaecology, lower GI, breast, and haematology, as well as skin cancer and brain tumours. It is also a treatment unit for colorectal, haematology, breast and lung cancer.