The new Dyson Cancer Centre at the Royal United Hospitals Bath (RUH) NHS Foundation Trust welcomed its first patients this week.

The purpose-built centre brings together many of the RUH’s cancer services under one roof to provide a hub for over 500,000 people in the South West.

Cara Charles-Barks, RUH chief executive said: “This is a major milestone for our community – we know cancer affects many lives and this new centre will help transform the care we provide for the people we care for and their loved ones, as well as providing an exceptional working environment for our dedicated staff.

“Together with patients, staff, and those with an interest in cancer services, we’ve looked at every aspect of the care we provide and the surroundings we provide it in and we have worked to create a place where excellent clinical care is matched by a healing environment.

“Thoughtful interior design, the use of natural light, and over 100 artworks and art installations, many of which are influenced by the local environment, create a soothing and welcoming space, to balance the high-tech facilities housed in the new centre.”

The Dyson Cancer Centre includes the RUH’s oncology, chemotherapy and radiotherapy services, a 22-bed inpatient ward, a dedicated pharmacy, research team, and nuclear medicine and physics teams.

The new centre is backed by over £40m in Government funding as part of the New Hospital Programme (NHP).

The centre was also supported by an additional £10m fundraising campaign from RUHX, the hospital’s official charity, including a £4m donation from the James Dyson Foundation and £1m from the Medlock Charitable Trust.

A key feature of the new centre is the Macmillan Wellbeing Hub, supported by a £1.5m donation from Macmillan Cancer Support.

The three-storey hub will provide a welcoming, non-clinical space designed around the needs of patients and their families. It will also include comfortable accommodation where relatives and loved-ones can stay overnight.

Megan Inett, partnership manager at Macmillan Cancer Support, said: “Being diagnosed with cancer can affect so many different areas of your life, from relationships to finances.

“With counselling rooms, complementary therapy space, and cancer information, the new Macmillan Wellbeing Hub will support people with all those non-clinical needs, enabling them to live well with cancer, not just survive.”

Construction partner, Kier, broke ground on the project in July 2021 and has managed a complex project within the constraints of a busy hospital site.

David Snell, strategic healthcare director at Kier Construction Western & Wales, said: “The Dyson Cancer Centre is a vital new healthcare facility that will serve the South West for many years to come.

“This project means a great deal to everyone involved and we are incredibly proud to be handing it over and to be continuing our legacy of delivering state-of-the art healthcare facilities that make a tangible difference in people’s lives.”

The centre is located near the main entrance of the RUH and has its own entrance.