Laing O’Rourke has been selected to construct a new state-of-the-art Sussex Cancer Centre at the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton & Hove.
The Government, working with the New Hospitals Programme, has confirmed a quarter-of-a-billion-pound investment to create a regional Centre of Excellence for cancer services.
Designed to serve a population of around 2 million and welcome more than 60,000 patients each year, the centre will focus on delivering safer, more efficient care and improving access, with every element shaped around patient experience, clinical quality and outcomes.
Facilities will include high-precision radiotherapy in the basement, expanded outpatient clinics, assessment areas and a day unit on the middle floors, and a top-floor ward offering sea views. The scheme follows the successful completion of the neighbouring Louisa Martindale Building.
Laing O’Rourke’s Managing Director, Peter Lyons, said: “This is an incredible project and one that I am proud we are a part of. The new cancer centre will transform the experience of care for patients and the work environment for staff.
“At Laing O’Rourke we have a rich history in delivering hospitals, including The Louisa Martindale Building, so we’ll be able to use the power of our experience to improve the safety and efficiency on site, while guaranteeing the quality of product.
“Leveraging digital design and offsite manufacturing, along with our integrated supply chain, we’ll be able to minimise disruption to local residents.”
As a regional hub for cancer expertise, the centre will significantly expand capacity. A dedicated Oncology Acute Assessment area is expected to prevent more than 1,000 vulnerable cancer patients a year from attending the general A&E, ensuring specialist treatment in the right setting while easing wider hospital pressures.
Patient experience is central to the design, with welcoming outpatient spaces and high-tech chemotherapy areas filled with natural light. Modern layouts will replace cramped, fragmented facilities, creating a calm, supportive environment for patients and families throughout their care.
Research and innovation will be embedded, with dedicated spaces enabling patients and staff to take part in clinical trials and benefit from emerging technologies, including AI, so that global advances can be realised locally for people in Sussex.
A new landscaped garden and ‘green lung’ will link the Louisa Martindale Building (Stage 1 of the 3Ts Redevelopment) with the Sussex Cancer Centre (Stage 2), providing a tranquil outdoor space for patients, families and staff and uniting the developments into a modern healthcare campus.
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