The opening of the ground-breaking Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital has moved a step closer today after the government, NHS England and HM Treasury approved the second stage of the hospital’s outline business case.
The landmark site is being built on the Cambridge biomedical campus and is a collaboration between Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, the University of Cambridge and Cancer Research UK.
The hospital will bring together experts from the health service, academia and the third sector all under one roof to explore how the NHS can diagnose cancer earlier, deploy more personalised treatment methods and ultimately save more lives.
As well as boosting cancer outcomes, the hospital will also look to forward the health service’s net zero agenda by being a low-carbon and electric-powered facility.
The news comes shortly after local health leaders selected Matt Allen to direct the construction of the new hospital last month.
"This is an exciting step in our journey to eradicate cancer,” said the hospital’s research lead, Professor Richard Gilbertson.
“The opportunity for clinicians and researchers to collaborate with our industry partners to detect the earliest signs of cancer and deliver personalised treatments is a real game-changer.”
Prof Gilbertson, who is also head of the University of Cambridge’s department of oncology, continued: "The innovations that will be coming out of this building will have a huge impact, not just here in Cambridge, but across the region, the UK and the world."
The hospital will be the first site delivered in the East of England as part of the government’s New Hospital Programme. Laing O’Rourke has been selected as the project’s preferred construction partner.
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