In June a spectacular, state-of-the-art new specialist cancer hospital opened in Liverpool.
The new Clatterbridge Cancer Centre – Liverpool (CCC-L) delivers a wide range of highly specialist cancer care including chemotherapy, immunotherapy, gene therapy and radiotherapy. It’s particularly important because this region has one of the highest rates of cancer nationally.
Located in the heart of Liverpool’s Knowledge Quarter, the 11-storey hospital is part of a £162m investment in transforming cancer care for people across the Liverpool City Region and Cheshire. Work began on site in 2016 and formal construction got underway in 2017. 64% of the workforce on site was employed locally and 75% of the construction spend was with North West businesses and suppliers. Over 50 young people received work experience opportunities on the build and over 50 apprentices were employed on site.
Clatterbridge Cancer Centre Credit: Paul Karalius
How did they manage to keep on track when lockdown began in March? Chief Executive, Dr Liz Bishop, explained: “We were determined to do all we could to open on time. We knew the centre would be needed because it provides vital additional NHS capacity, and a safer environment for people with cancer who can be more at risk from infections. Because of its importance to the NHS, the new hospital was classed as essential work which meant construction could continue throughout lockdown.
“We worked closely with our main contractor, Laing O’Rourke, to ensure all safety measures were firmly in place. On the first day of lockdown the number of people on site dropped from 350 to 45 – each construction team worked evenings and weekends to get the project completed with fewer people on site. Safety practices included one-way systems, PPE, hygiene stations and extra cabins were brought in so staff could socially distance during breaks. We were able to include adaptations to the hospital such as safety screens and social distancing markers. Our own staff and colleagues from our subsidiary company, PropCare, who managed the building project for us, did a superb job.
“We worked closely with our main contractor, Laing O’Rourke, to ensure all safety measures were firmly in place. On the first day of lockdown the number of people on site dropped from 350 to 45 – each construction team worked evenings and weekends to get the project completed with fewer people on site. Safety practices included one-way systems, PPE, hygiene stations and extra cabins were brought in so staff could socially distance during breaks. We were able to include adaptations to the hospital such as safety screens and social distancing markers. Our own staff and colleagues from our subsidiary company, PropCare, who managed the building project for us, did a superb job.
“When the centre opened in June our top priority was always our patients – ensuring they continued to receive the care they needed while minimising infection risks. Our Digital Team helped enormously with developing new ways of working, obviously people providing direct patient care and essential services needed to be on-site but many staff were able to work remotely for at least some of the time. We have also accelerated other digital innovations including e-prescribing for chemotherapy and radiotherapy, video consultations and digital ward rounds.”
The original proposal for this new hospital was first made in 2008 – when it was recommended that the region’s main cancer centre be located alongside other medical facilities and academic cancer research centre. Therefore CCC-L is situated right next door to the Royal Liverpool University Hospital and the University of Liverpool Medical School. This means that seriously unwell patients have rapid access to other forms of critical care.
Clatterbridge Cancer Centre Credit: Paul Karalius
Unlike the shared wards in older hospitals, the new cancer centre has 110 individual en-suite patient rooms, which will reduce the risk of catching coronavirus. There are also special isolation facilities for patients whose immune systems mean they are particularly vulnerable to infection. The new hospital also has state-of-the-art facilities for bone marrow transplant, diagnostics and imaging, outpatients, daycase treatments, a Teenage and Young Adult Unit, clinical therapies and a wide range of cancer information and support.
Dr Bishop continued: “At the start of the pandemic there was a drop in cancer referrals to hospital. Referral numbers have risen and are now back up to where they were this time last year but there may still be people who did not seek help or advice earlier this year or people who may put off seeking help now. If anyone is worried about symptoms that could be cancer, it is important to contact your GP and it checked out. The earlier cancer is diagnosed the more treatable it’s likely to be.”