Herefordshire is to get a new, purpose-built radiotherapy unit – ending the ‘misery miles’ for cancer patients who currently need to travel to Cheltenham General Hospital for this life-saving treatment.

The Trust successfully bid for additional NHS funds to design, build, staff and manage a new £7.7-million satellite radiotherapy facility at Hereford Hospital.  Construction of the radiotherapy unit is expected to commence early 2012 with a completion timetable of April 2013.

Local groups and individuals, as well as the council, the primary care trust and the hospital, have all campaigned for the solution throughout the last decade.

The new Hereford centre will provide thousands of treatment sessions a year for the majority of patients. A small percentage of patients will still have to travel to Cheltenham for more specialised treatments and to gain the added benefit of the expertise from a centralised clinical team. All patients will travel to Cheltenham for their initial treatment planning session.

Chief Executive Dr Frank Harsent said: "This satellite radiotherapy service in Hereford will bring cancer services closer to the homes of many patients who live in that area and will mean that many people receiving radiotherapy won’t have to make the long journey that they currently have to make at a time when they are feeling unwell. It is an improvement all round for patients.

“The project has shown real partnership working for the benefit of patients and their families, between ourselves, NHS Herefordshire, Hereford County Hospital, the 3 Counties Cancer Network and local people.