Latest news with #RCHT
BBC News
14 hours ago
- Health
- BBC News
Delight as decision to close Cornish eye clinics reversed
Eye patients in Cornwall are celebrating after a decision to close clinics was Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust (RCHT) had planned to close clinics in Helston and St Austell treating people with serious eye conditions and move them to hospitals in Treliske and RCHT said it had reversed the decision to shut the sites due to feedback it received about the "potential impact of the move".Patients said they were relieved the sites would stay open as they provided vital treatment closer to where they lived. 'Limited vision' Veronica Hearn, who receives treatment for macular degeneration at Wheal Northey in St Austell, said the extra travel and associated costs which would have been required for appointments in Truro had left one fellow patient in tears."I know, when talking to other patients, that there were many genuine concerns regarding the closure," she said."Following the treatment you are not able to drive with such limited vision so everyone has to rely on someone to take them and Truro is so much further for them to go."Jill Bristow, who also has injections for macular degeneration at the site, said the reversal had made her very happy."I can't really describe how I'm feeling," said Mrs Bristow, who lives near Bodmin."I'm just so relieved that the decision has been rescinded." St Ives MP Andrew George said the reversal was "good news" for patients."Though I appreciate that the hospitals' trust has been placed under intolerable financial pressure, it's important that the government supports its own policy of moving services closer to patients in their communities," he added.A RCHT spokesperson said it and the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Integrated Care Board agreed providing the clinics across the county was the "best way forward" after hearing concerns raised by O'Keeffe, deputy chief executive and chief nursing officer at RCHT, said: "Our original plans were made with the best intentions to ensure specialist staff were available in central locations and to deliver more clinics."But once we heard from local people about how the proposed changes might affect them, it became clear that we must do what is right for our patients."We thank everyone who took the time to share their views and help shape this decision."
BBC News
28-04-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Next-generation radiotherapy machines for Cornish hospital
Cornwall's main hospital will get two next-generation radiotherapy machines within 12 months, after being awarded £2.6 million by NHS of the machines, called a linear accelerator (LINAC), has already been installed at the Royal Cornwall Hospital Trust's (RCHT) Sunrise Centre in Truro and after testing, will start treating patients in new funds mean a second machine can now be installed by the end of March 2026, earlier than originally Rizkalla, head of radiotherapy physics at RCHT, said the machines would be a "real game changer" in helping reduce waiting cancer times and provide "outstanding care". 'Better productivity' Mr Rizkalla said they were "delighted" to have received funding after their application in January this added the state-of-the-art machines were "very clever and very versatile devices in that they use high energy electron beams to treat cancers with pinpoint accuracy".The RCHT said the additional machine would enable the hospital to "further reduce waiting times for cancer patients through efficiency gains and better productivity".The investment has come from NHS England's National Capital Fund.
BBC News
03-04-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Sunrise Appeal's 25 years of fundraising for Cornwall cancer unit
A cancer charity in Cornwall is celebrating 25 years of raising funds for medical Sunrise Appeal was founded in 2000 with a mission to support The Sunrise Centre, a specialist cancer unit at Royal Cornwall Hospital (RCHT), Truro, which opened in then, Janet Shephard, former head of clinical oncology at RCHT and co-founder of the Sunrise Appeal, said the charity has given the centre £2.9m for medical equipment and almost £200,000 in bursaries for oncology said the last 25 years had been "an incredible journey" thanks to "the ongoing support of the Cornish community". Before the unit opened many cancer patients in Cornwall had to travel to Derriford Hospital in Plymouth for scans and radiographer Nikki Snell said the new unit helped patients be calmer which aided the accuracy of their said: "It's a nice, open, airy department which makes people feel more relaxed than where it used to be in a basement." Savvas Rizkalla, head of radiotherapy physics at RCHT, said the Sunrise Appeal had made an "absolutely huge difference" to cancer said: "We've been able to build an entirely new radiotherapy centre with state of the art equipment treating absolutely everything using our own staff and the latest technology and delivering the best care."Ms Shephard said in recent years the Sunrise Appeal had funded several important projects, including the introduction of Surface Guided Radiotherapy (SGRT).This treatment enables greater accuracy across a range of sites, including breast, lung and pelvis, which means patients are no longer left with permanent tattoos, she explained. In 2001 more than £600,000 was raised by BBC Radio Cornwall's listeners for the Sunrise Appeal. The radio station had asked the community to stick a pound coin on to a card and send it to the Truro radio Radio Cornwall executive producer Daphne Skinnard said the team had been "astonished" at the said: "We thought if the population in Cornwall gave £1 each we would reach our target in a day."It was a true privilege to bring Cornwall together to raise funds ion all sorts of different ways and bring the spirit of togetherness in focussing on such an important resource for patients in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly." The Sunrise Appeal will celebrate its anniversary with an event for supporters, volunteers and key figures from the charity's history at the Alverton Hotel, Truro on Thursday.
Yahoo
08-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Clinical research van reaching rural communities
A specially-designed van is visiting rural parts of Cornwall to make it easier for people in "underserved and remote" areas to take part in clinical research. The Mobile Research Unit (MRU) is part of a pilot project exploring how bespoke vehicles can improve clinical trial accessibility and efficiency. The unit is part of a clinical trial called NOVA 301 investigating the safety and effectiveness of a vaccine for norovirus. The Royal Cornwall Hospitals Trust (RCHT) is one of 39 trusts in the country taking part. Bianca Mills, head of research and development at RCHT, said the MRU was a "transformative step in overcoming geographical barriers to clinical research in Cornwall". She said it was "a vital step towards reducing health inequalities, improving patient outcomes and positioning Cornwall as a leader in accessible, community-driven research." The trial has recruited about 3,000 participants nationally, with 30 of those from Cornwall. The MRU is going to visit areas including Penzance and Hayle, where research participation has historically been low. The van features a "high-quality clinical space" with an "ultra-low temperature freezer to store biological samples". The project is a collaboration between the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), the UK Vaccine Innovation Pathway, pharmaceutical company Moderna and EMS Healthcare. Professor Andrew Ustianowski, interim executive director at the NIHR Research Delivery Network, said: "The team at RCHT has a strong track record of delivering commercial research and ensuring that local populations have opportunities to participate. "We look forward to seeing how this pilot, which includes mobile units in Cornwall and Blackpool, improves the participant experience and expands access to research." Follow BBC Cornwall on X, Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to spotlight@ Trust awarded £3.5m to establish research centre Woman's hopes for brain tumours breakthrough Silent nurse call bells on trial in baby ward NIHR RCHT
BBC News
08-03-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Clinical research van reaching rural communities in Cornwall
A specially-designed van is visiting rural parts of Cornwall to make it easier for people in "underserved and remote" areas to take part in clinical Mobile Research Unit (MRU) is part of a pilot project exploring how bespoke vehicles can improve clinical trial accessibility and unit is part of a clinical trial called NOVA 301 investigating the safety and effectiveness of a vaccine for norovirus. The Royal Cornwall Hospitals Trust (RCHT) is one of 39 trusts in the country taking Mills, head of research and development at RCHT, said the MRU was a "transformative step in overcoming geographical barriers to clinical research in Cornwall". She said it was "a vital step towards reducing health inequalities, improving patient outcomes and positioning Cornwall as a leader in accessible, community-driven research."The trial has recruited about 3,000 participants nationally, with 30 of those from MRU is going to visit areas including Penzance and Hayle, where research participation has historically been van features a "high-quality clinical space" with an "ultra-low temperature freezer to store biological samples". The project is a collaboration between the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), the UK Vaccine Innovation Pathway, pharmaceutical company Moderna and EMS Andrew Ustianowski, interim executive director at the NIHR Research Delivery Network, said: "The team at RCHT has a strong track record of delivering commercial research and ensuring that local populations have opportunities to participate. "We look forward to seeing how this pilot, which includes mobile units in Cornwall and Blackpool, improves the participant experience and expands access to research."
