Last week, I attended an event in Parliament that aimed to help raise awareness of breast cancer and the importance of attending screening appointments. There has also been a major advertising campaign recently to drive home the importance of getting an early diagnosis when something doesn't feel right relating to other cancers. Cancer is sadly a disease that affects many people at some stage in life and early diagnosis and treatment are crucial to survival rates and the success of treatment. Good progress has been made in recent years as treatments improve and survival rates have been on an upward trend but there is further to go.
A few weeks ago, I went to Treliske to see the new facilities currently under construction and nearing completion. The new MRI and Oncology Unit will be adjacent to the Trelawney Wing. There is going to be modern, state-of-the-art MRI scanning facilities with two new machines initially and room for a third as well as a new 24-bed ward for haematology and oncology services. They are also developing a new palliative care suite and a private sensory courtyard so that patients can receive treatment and recover outdoors in the fresh air and there is a new iodine therapy suite and isolation facilities.
The team leading the construction of the project have done an amazing job. Construction projects of this nature are incredibly complex with specialist ventilation equipment needed and specialist construction materials to contain magnetic fields around MRI scanners. Much of the work had to be done during the Covid lockdown periods which created added complications with social distancing required and staff absences needing to be managed, but the project is on course to open in the next couple of months. Getting the new facilities to this state of readiness has been an incredible feat for all those involved.
I also visited the Sunrise Centre which manages the majority of the outpatient work such as radiotherapy treatments and met the dedicated and highly professional team there. In some parts of the NHS, the aftermath of the pandemic has created strains on the system with backlogs and waiting times rising but what was really encouraging was the speed at which the Sunrise Centre provided care and treatment to those needing it. The Sunrise Centre moves heaven and earth to ensure that there is no waiting, and they get people the course of treatment they need as quickly as possible, and they are fully on top of the task. I also sensed a very supportive culture which is important because undergoing treatment for cancer can be an anxious time for patients. They have also recently reopened their CT scanning room in November with all new equipment and lighting improvements that will enhance the patient experience.
Parts of the NHS are under pressure at the moment, particularly A&E services and there continue to be challenges around capacity in the social care sector which complicates patient discharge, but these new investments will further enhance the great cancer treatment services that we have here in Cornwall and mark a really important step forward.
