Project: MRI and Oncology Unit
This page was last updated: February 9th, 2022
The new building will be accessed via the Trelawny Wing Main Entrance and will provide:
- 2 MRI scanners with future scope for a third
- A 24-bed Haematology and Oncology ward
- An Ambulatory Emergency Care Day Unit to support acute oncology patients
- A Palliative care suite with a safe and private sensory courtyard garden
- An Iodine Therapy Suite
- Waiting areas and general support facilities
The new building allows the relocation of existing MRI services to a purpose-built unit on the lower ground floor. Co-locating the MRI scanners next to other Imaging services improves continuity of care and supports a more efficient Imaging workforce.
The new MRI suite will be modern, but welcoming, and will initially house two MRI scanners, upgraded to the latest technology. There will also be space to support a third MRI scanner in the future.
Providing an improved space on the ground floor for the care of patients with Cancer, the new Haematology / Oncology Unit will be contemporary clinical environment delivering the highest standards of care and infection prevention and control.
A modern and clean building is vital for this group of patients, who are more vulnerable to infection as a result of the treatments they receive. Patients will also benefit from an increase in designated cancer beds (24 beds rather than the current 18 beds on Lowen Ward). All Oncology beds will be located together on one ward on the same floor as the dedicated outpatient and day-case service for acute Oncology patients.
Disruption
The path and roadway between the Microbiology building and Dolphin House is closed off. From the overflow patient car park, the staff car parks and the helipad area, you will need to access the main hospital buildings either via the path to the front of the Microbiology building, or via entrances further along the road and past the Mermaid Centre (opposite The Duchy Hospital entrance).
Trelawny Main Entrance
Changes to the parking areas both sides of the Trelawny Wing Main Entrance, and at Dolphin House, will be in place throughout the works. Essential user spaces which were previously located to the north of the Trelawny Main Entrance have been re-provided outside Pendragon House (across the main site road).
Ambulance access is provided in two bays outside the front of the Microbiology building. There are no drop off spaces available for disabled patients in front of the Trelawny Wing Main Entrance for safety reasons.
This group of patients will need to park in the designated accessible car parking spaces in the patient car park on the opposite side of the access road. Access to the bus stop to the south of the Trelawny Main Entrance remains unchanged.
Dolphin House bike shelter and car park
The Dolphin House bike shelter has not been removed during the building works, and there is a new wheelchair accessible path to the rear of Dolphin House to allow external access to Dolphin House throughout the works.
This path is intended for pedestrians; so, cyclists using the Dolphin House bike shelter must dismount before entering the Dolphin House rear garden area and wheel their bikes to the shelter.
Accessible parking
There is no access to the Dolphin House car park for the duration of the building works. Patients using the Child Development Centre will be allocated two spaces, for drop off only, in the Mermaid Centre car park, and will access the Child Development Centre via the path to the rear of Dolphin House.
The Women and Children’s Care Group team can provide additional help, on request, to support patients and families in moving from their parked vehicles to the main entrance of Dolphin House. Please contact the Child Development Centre for further information.
Ecology
A grounds, gardens and tree management scheme is under development as part of the Trust’s overall ecology and bio-diversity programme. This scheme will include removing old, damaged, and dangerous trees; the relocation of some gardens; the re-planting of some trees; and some new gardens being created.
Where it is not possible to replant or re-locate trees, donations will be made to the NHS Forest initiative which supports the planting of new trees.
