THOUSANDS of patients are set to be treated in a new purpose-built centre which opens next week.

Hamwic House, at University Hospital Southampton (UHS), will officially open its doors to patients next Monday.

The brand new and considerably bigger facility will offer a range of services for oncology and outpatients and will serve as a one stop shop for consultant appointments, blood tests, PICC line fittings and chemotherapy treatment.

It replaces the outdated C3 ward, where cancer care was, pre Covid-19, delivered to approximately 10,000 people a year.

Built as part of a £9m government grant, the opening of the new facility will be a milestone day for cancer care staff as they return “home” to UHS after more than a year spent working off site.

Tim Iveson, Professor of gastrointestinal cancer at UHS, said: “This superb new unit allows us to move treatment back to the UHS site to a much-needed, significantly more spacious location.

"With 27 treatment bays and 17 out-patient consultation rooms it will be a real benefit to the many thousands of cancer patients we care for and treat at UHS every year.”

The new unit, built by construction firm BAM and Portakabin in conjunction with the UHS estates team, has seen the number of consulting rooms doubled to 15.

It will also enable the continuation of virtual clinics, a system developed during the pandemic meaning patients who don’t need treatment can speak with their nurse or consultant without having to leave home or work.

Nurses played a key role in the design of the new unit which has its own discreet exit and a pharmacy attached, while patients were also involved in choosing the colours of walls and chairs.

Jenny Milner, lead matron for cancer care at UHS, said: “I have never been so proud of the teamwork, determination and commitment of the Cancer Care team to ensure that we still treated our patients during such a turbulent and uncertain time.

“Being able to design our own purpose built environment has given us the opportunity to make key changes to the service we provide to ensure a really positive patient experience. We can’t wait to be back on site at UHS and welcome patients to our incredible new home.”