The regional Centre of Excellence for cancer care will be built at the Royal Sussex County Hospital and will be funded by the government and new hospitals programme.
The Sussex Cancer Centre is due to open in 2029 and expects to welcome more than 60,000 patients a year.
The new centre will feature high-precision radiotherapy clinics, as well as an expanded outpatient clinic, assessment areas, a day unit and wards.
Dr Andy Heeps, CEO of University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust (Image: NHS University Hospitals Sussex)
Dr Andy Heeps, chief executive of University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust, celebrated the news, describing the announcement as “transformative”.
He said: “Securing this quarter-of-a-billion-pound investment for our regional cancer centre is the result of years of hard work and determination by our teams and partners, with patients and carers, volunteers and specialists all contributing to the process.
“The result is a cancer centre we’re exceptionally proud of, where natural light will flood each floor and intuitive layouts and calming design support healing and recovery. We’ve embedded clinical research into the very fabric of the building, and new specialist assessment areas will provide an alternative to A&E for many patients with cancer.
“We know our new Sussex Cancer Centre will be transformative in so many ways, and as we receive the £250m funding that makes all this possible, I want to express my thanks to everyone who has supported the journey and made it possible. I look forward to celebrating with you all when we open the new Sussex Cancer Centre in 2029.”
The new centre is due to open in 2029 (Image: NHS University Hospitals Sussex)
According to NHS figures, Sussex has the second-largest cancer population in the country.
The trust said the centre will be vital in supporting this, offering more than triple the hospital’s current clinical space dedicated to cancer care.
It will be the second major milestone in the Royal Sussex County Hospital hospital redevelopment project – which could also see a helipad built.
Minister of State for Health, Karin Smyth, said: “I know from personal experience how vital high-quality cancer care is – and that’s why this £250 million investment in the Sussex Cancer Centre matters so much. This flagship new hospital in the heart of Brighton will transform cancer care for patients across Sussex. It’s a major step forward for patients and families who rely on these services every day.
“As we prepare to publish our National Cancer Plan, today’s announcement shows what backing the NHS really means: long-term investment, modern hospitals and better care where it’s needed most. This government is committed to renewing Britain and fixing our NHS – and this is exactly what that looks like in practice.”
Dr Sarah Westwell, consultant clinical oncologist and chief of service for cancer (Image: NHS University Hospitals Sussex)
Dr Sarah Westwell, consultant clinical oncologist and chief of service for cancer, added: “For our patients and all the staff I’ve worked alongside for years, this isn’t just a budget approval – it is a watershed moment that finally brings our facilities in line with the world-class care we strive to deliver every day.
“Our new Sussex cancer centre will offer privacy, dignity, and hope to our patients, and as doctors, nurses, therapists, technicians and researchers, we’re all thrilled to be able to help craft a new clinical home where medical excellence, outstanding care and leading research can be woven into every step of our patient’s journey.”
The trust said the new centre will provide a number of key benefits for cancer patients across the county including significantly boosting capacity, enhancing patient experience, and integrating research and innovation.
The redevelopment also includes the creation of a new logistics yard, which will be located where the current cancer department currently is. The trust said this will remove heavy vehicle traffic from patient-facing areas to ensure the entire campus functions more efficiently.
Additional to the new centre, the transformation of the hospital campus is also supported by a locally-funded multi-million redevelopment of the Emergency Department and A&E in Brighton.
The new acute medical unit at the Royal Sussex County Hospital (Image: University Hospitals Sussex)
Phase one of the redevelopment – referred to by the trust as an “acute floor reconfiguration” – has introduced a new acute medical unit to take pressure off A&E services.
It has also produced a surgical assessment unit.
Subsequent phases will deliver a complete transformation of the main emergency department, featuring a brand-new resuscitation suite, a children’s emergency zone, and enhanced ambulance arrival facilities.
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