Cancer patients in Maitland will soon have access to cutting-edge radiation therapy treatments, medical oncology and clinical trials all under the one roof.
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Construction started this week on a world-class comprehensive cancer centre directly opposite the new Maitland Hospital at Metford.
The new 'one-stop shop' facility which will have the capacity to deliver 14,000 treatments to 800 patients a year, will open its doors to patients in mid-2021, ahead of the new Hospital which will open in 2022.
Previously, patients have had to travel to Newcastle to undergo radiation therapy and chemotherapy, adding to the already significant emotional and physical toll of cancer diagnosis and treatment.
Maitland Mayor Loretta Baker described the new facility as a 'welcome addition' to Maitland's medical landscape.
"This is fantastic news for our local Maitland community," Cr Baker said.
"I commend GenesisCare for their commitment to bringing high quality multidisciplinary cancer care to our fantastic region and look forward to following the progress and official opening over the next year."
GenesisCare Maitland will offer patients access to a multidisciplinary team of medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, nurses and allied health specialists
There are an estimated 929,000 people living across the Hunter New England Local Health District, with the majority living in the regional centres of Greater Newcastle and the Lower Hunter regions.
GenesisCare's General Manager of Oncology, NSW, Dr Kathy Kociuba said the aim of the new complex was to ensure all patients receive rapid access to the highest quality care, whether they live in metropolitan Sydney or regional NSWn .
"In the next decade, areas such as Maitland will face mounting pressure from urban sprawl and an ageing population," Dr Kociuba said.
"Therefore, it is imperative that we invest in the right healthcare infrastructure to ensure the local community needs here in Maitland are met now and into the future."
Member for Maitland Jenny Aitchison MP welcomed commencement of work on the new facility as it will spare many Lower Hunter residents the arduous daily journey faced by any who require radiation therapy as part of their oncology treatment.
"We now have Maitland people who face a two-hour commute each day to undertake a course of potentially lifesaving treatment," Ms Aitchison said.
"These people can at times be terribly unwell. Mandatory travel can place great strain on patients who should be recuperating."
For approximately 50 per cent of all cancer patients, radiotherapy plays an important role in the treatment pathway, used with curative intent and in pain and symptom management.
GenesisCare Maitland will offer patients rapid access to state-of-the-art radiation therapy techniques and technology.