Breast cancer services in Wales are to receive a boost after it was announced that nearly £11m will be spent on a new centre of excellence at Ysbyty Ystrad Fawr community hospital.
The investment will bring together services and experts from across the Aneurin Bevan University Health Board to provide outpatient care, diagnostic investigations, and surgery for breast cancer.
The clinical teams from Nevill Hall and Royal Gwent Hospitals will come together to provide a more-resilient and effective service in a purpose-built new facility that will better meet patient needs.
Speaking on World Cancer Day on Friday, Health Minister, Eluned Morgan, said the investment showed the Welsh Government’s commitment to improving cancer outcomes and supporting health boards to transform clinical services.
These ambitious plans will mean patients in Gwent will have better access to high-quality care and more people affected by breast cancer can be managed on a day case basis and thereby avoid a hospital admission
And it is hoped improving the efficiency of services will support efforts to cut waiting times for cancer care.
It comes as the latest NHS activity and performance data shows that in November activity levels in cancer services increased, with the number of patients newly diagnosed with cancer who started their first definitive treatment increasing to the highest level since comparable data was first collected in June 2019.
Furthermore, the number of patients informed they did not have cancer increased on the previous month to the second-highest level since this data first started being collected in December 2020.
The ambitious plans will improve quality and safety of care for breast service patients and provide a model of care for breast services that is sustainable and flexible to respond to future needs. I will also maximise the use of available resources and promote diagnosis and treatment in line with best practice.
Morgan said: “These ambitious plans will mean patients in Gwent will have better access to high-quality care and more people affected by breast cancer can be managed on a day case basis and thereby avoid a hospital admission.
With the new centre serving as a ‘centre of excellence’ for breast services, our specialist clinicians will be centralised in a purpose-built facility where they will provide expert care to patients with breast cancer in one place
“As we mark World Cancer Day, this is an opportunity to reflect on the significant impact cancer has on our society and highlight important investments that we are making to support better patient care. And we will continue to give cancer services the focus they deserve as we emerge from the pandemic.”
Interim chief executive of Aneurin Bevan University Health Board, Glyn Jones, added: “We are very grateful to Welsh Government for funding this incredible new facility, which will represent another key milestone in our Clinical Futures strategy.
“With the new centre serving as a ‘centre of excellence’ for breast services, our specialist clinicians will be centralised in a purpose-built facility where they will provide expert care to patients with breast cancer in one place.
“We look forward to seeing the construction of the facility progress over the coming months.”
