New Cambridge hospital will find and treat cancer differently hears health and care forum
The forum, which meets every two months, brings together local people and health and care decision makers to provide information and answer your questions about the services you use.
The new cancer hospital
The 2 February meeting heard that the new cancer hospital expects to open its doors in July 2026.
It brings together Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, the University of Cambridge and the Cancer Research UK Cambridge Centre. And aims to change the way cancer is found and treated.
But alongside expert scientists, clinicians and cutting-edge research, services at the hospital are being shaped by the people who’ll be using them.
And a call to get involved in the planning and share your views on what’s needed was issued by Lenja Bell and Sue Arnold who are setting up a new cancer patient group for the hospital.
Share your views on what patients need
A wide and diverse patient view is wanted. So as well as involving patients with different types of cancer, people without cancer experience are invited to have a say.
People from different ethnic backgrounds, the LGBTQ+* community and people with additional needs are invited to have a say about accessing hospital care, as well as signage, digital technology, communication and the kind of support they need at the hospital and during treatment.
*LGBTQ+ - Lesbia, Gay, Bi-sexual, Transgender, Queer / Questioning, other.
Contact the Cancer Patient Network
01223 256768
Update from Addenbrooke’s Hospital
The emergency department continues to be extremely busy and it’s still causing some delays for patients walking in and those arriving by ambulance.
Nicola Hallows, Head of Patient Experience for Cambridge University Hospitals, said a lot of work was being done to improve the “flow” of patients through Accident and Emergency and to cut waits for elective surgery, outpatients and diagnostics.
- CT scans remain a problem because of staffing issues (including problems recruiting radiographers and radiologists) and some equipment breakdowns.
- Work is underway to improve virtual appointments for outpatients especially the logging-on process.
- After a two year wait, the use of specially designed see-through face masks has finally got “national approval” and they are now being used by hospital staff and patients who need them, including lip-readers.
Plea to flag up delays on diagnostic results
One person at the meeting urged the hospital to be upfront with patients about any possible delays in results.
She said her husband had been told it would take a week to hear about biopsy results but it ended up being a month-long wait.
“It’s really important delays are flagged up to people having their tests,” she said.
Nicola said the issue had been raised and staff were being told to try and set realistic expectations on diagnostic results.
Safety of patients waiting for care
Healthwatch is working with the NHS risk assessment group run by Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) which plans and pays for local NHS services. The group talks to all three hospitals in our area about the systems they run to triage people for risk and assess risk.
"We have had assurance from Addenbrooke’s about the systems they use to make sure that people are not coming to harm,” Healthwatch CEO Sandie Smith told the meeting.
Waiting for Outpatient appointments and follow-ups
A query was raised about the backlog of outpatient follow-ups and how the waiting list was being handled.
Head of Patient Experience Nicola Hallows explained that outpatient waits were under a great deal of scrutiny, including weekly taskforce meetings, which looked at all the speciality waits and tracked staffing.
While there is variation between specialities in terms of wait times, no one is being forgotten, she said.
“Everything is being done, as far as we can, to get those waiting lists down. Evening and weekend clinics are being operated but the problem is staffing those lists.
“They are going down and were going down quite successfully before the latest Omicron wave. All the speciality trajectories were showing a downward fall. However progress has been put off course over Christmas and these past few months and a lot of that has been due to staff absence.”
Healthwatch CEO Sandie Smith confirmed that she was looking at outpatient waits and how appointments are being held. Data is also seen by the local CCG.
Patient Help Desk supporting those waiting for care
Do you have a question or concern around hospital or community services appointments you're waiting for?
The local CCG has set up a help desk to support people across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough stay informed about how long they will have to wait for care and how to keep safe while waiting.
Monday to Friday, 9am – 5pm.
Freephone 0800 048 5800
