£20.6m to improve cancer care at edinburgh's western general hospital

A huge investment from the Scottish Government has been granted to improve cancer care services for patients at Western General Hospital.

New building planned for the Western General Hospital

The cash injection fund a range of construction and refurbishment projects to oncology wards, services and facilities at the hospital. This includes building two new Linear Accelerator (LINAC) bunkers to house specialist cancer treatment machines, improvements to patient accommodation increasing the number of ensuite single rooms and relocating the Cancer Assessment Unit.

The project forms part of a wider masterplan to transform services, create more space, comfort and privacy and access to modern facilities and cutting-edge equipment.

Jim Crombie, Deputy Chief Executive of NHS Lothian said: “This Scottish Government funding marks a key milestone in an ambitious programme of investment to ensure the Western General hospital continues to provide high quality treatment and services into the future. It will greatly enhance the hospital as a centre of excellence and help us work towards our longer-term vision of opening a new Regional Specialist Cancer Centre.”

Additional projects currently being funded by other capital investments at the Western General include the modernisation of Haematology inpatient services and construction of a new outpatient facility, funded by an exceptional and incredibly generous charitable donation of circa £12 million.

A £1 million investment will create new facilities to expand the Clinical Trials footprint and a £6.2 million Renal Dialysis facility is also being constructed which will offer improved clinical areas and better clinical team facilities.

Health Secretary Jeane Freeman said: “The Scottish Government is pleased to be supporting improved cancer facilities at the Western General Hospital in Edinburgh.

“It is a mark of improved population health that more of us are living longer overall, however this also means the incidence of cancer is rising.

“Improved treatments also mean more of us live longer with cancer as a chronic condition. It is therefore vital our NHS facilities keep pace with demand and offer the best environment possible for people with cancer and those

who treat and care for them.”

Work across the projects is expected to be completed over the next three years, finishing in 2022.

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