Bristol board approves new cancer centre

The expanded centre will enable the transfer of adult bone marrow transplant services out of the Bristol Royal Hospital for Children to the more appropriate adult setting in BHOC. This move  will make way for paediatric burns and neurosciences when they transfer from North Bristol Trust’s Frenchay Hospital in 2014.

The scheme will also accommodate some therapeutic services which will transfer from North Bristol’s Southmead Hospital site.

This expansion will enable patients to have all of their care delivered in a single setting and deliver a much needed unit for teenagers and young adults with cancer, who will be able to have their unique needs catered for in an environment appropriate to their age.

Charities Above and Beyond, Teenage Cancer Trust and the Friends of BHOC have pledged £6.5m of funding for the project.

Amit Bahl, lead clinician for the BHOC, said: “This continued development of BHOC will ensure facilities that match the excellent standard of care provided to patients at the centre.”

The BHOC provides local and specialist haematological and cancer care to people living in Avon, Somerset and Wiltshire.

The trust is currently awaiting planning permission for the redevelopment.