Media Release
Date: 24 April 2025
RUH’s Dyson Cancer Centre celebrates one year anniversary
The Royal United Hospitals (RUH) Bath NHS Foundation Trust is marking one year since the new Dyson Cancer Centre welcomed its first patients.
Since opening last spring, the Dyson Cancer Centre has supported the RUH to provide the highest quality of cancer care for around 340 people a day from Bath, Wiltshire and the wider South West community.
Ros Helps, RUH Lead Cancer Nurse said: “It has been such an incredible twelve months, we’ve settled in well to our new building and the feedback from our community has been so positive. Alongside the high-tech equipment and compassionate care, people really appreciate the light and welcoming environment, the beautiful art and design and the sensitive use of space, including dedicated quiet rooms for counselling or difficult conversations.
“One of the many wonderful things about the Dyson Cancer Centre is that we now have most of our treatments in one building, making it easier for the people we care for to access whatever they need. It also helps our staff from across our many cancer services to work more closely together, bringing benefits for all.
“We know cancer touches many lives and this centre is a real asset for so many in our community. We are grateful to all who have made it a reality and excited about the difference we can continue to make in the years ahead.”
The purpose-built facility was designed to bring the majority of the RUH’s cancer services under one roof, including oncology, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and systemic anti-cancer treatments, as well as a 22-bed inpatient ward, dedicated pharmacy, research team and nuclear medicine and physics teams.
Amongst the equipment at the centre is a new radiotherapy linear accelerator (LINAC) machine. A LINAC works by accelerating electrons to generate high-energy X-rays or electron beams, which can be precisely directed at a patient’s tumour. This enables clinicians to deliver 12,000 radiation treatments a year in a more precise and effective way, destroying cancer cells whilst minimising and damage to healthy tissue. A new Gamma-CT machine, used for cancer diagnosis and treatment planning, delivers 4,000 scans a year. Both were funded by the RUH’s official charity RUHX, thanks to generous donations from supporters.
Rhyannon Boyd, Associate Director RUHX said: “We are proud of what our amazing supporters have achieved to help care for our community in the past year, today and in the future. From nurturing artwork, extraordinary Gamma-CT and LINAC equipment, more space and so much more they helped make the RUH's new centre extra-extraordinary.”
A key feature of the new centre is the Macmillan Wellbeing Hub. The three-storey hub provides a welcoming, non-clinical space designed around the needs of patients and their families. It also includes comfortable accommodation where relatives and loved ones can stay overnight.
Macmillan Cancer Support Worker Vivienne Taylor is based in the Macmillan Hub and said: “It doesn’t feel clinical, it’s not a scary place to come – patients and the people from our community can drop in if they just want to sit down at the front of the hub, read a leaflet or ask for some advice.
“If people need more support or in depth information we have dedicated quiet rooms. We’re able to see more people than ever before, we’re starting to run lots of support groups and will continue to add more as time goes on.”
As well as £1.5m funding from Macmillan Cancer Support the new centre was backed by over £40m in Government funding as part of the New Hospital Programme. The Dyson Cancer Centre was also supported by a £10m campaign from RUHX, including a £4m donation from the James Dyson Foundation and £1m by the Medlock Charitable Trust.
The new Dyson Cancer Centre is located near the main entrance of the RUH and has its own entrance – patients and visitors do not need to enter the main RUH building. The Macmillan Wellbeing Hub is open from 8am – 6pm and patients, loved ones and the wider community are welcome to drop in for information during these times. Face to face appointments along with specific support services can be booked in advance.
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