The new Christie centre in Macclesfield will provide care for thousands of patients each year, whilst also keeping them close to home.
The structure was approved back in September 2019, when construction promptly began the following July. It’s striking design took influence from the Withington site and used locally sources stone within the building itself.
“The Christie at Macclesfield will provide the highest standard of cancer care for patients.”
Dr Andrew Sykes- Clincial Lead
Essential cancer care will be brought together in one purpose-built building, delivering local specialist access to a host of cancer care such as: radiotherapy, chemotherapy, holistic support, outpatient care, palliative care, and clinical trials.
Dr Andrew Sykes, clinical lead for the new centre, said: “We have already heard from hundreds of people who have experienced cancer how much difference the new centre will make. Whilst patients and families are prepared to travel to The Christie in Withington for specialist services, we know that most would prefer to have their care locally where possible.
“The Christie at Macclesfield will provide the highest standard of cancer care for patients.”
A hope to decrease travel time for patient care was a focus when building the new structure, with radiotherapy patients needing to visit seven days a week for anywhere up to six weeks.
In total, the Christie at Macclesfield will see more than 46,000 patients visits a year for existing patients from Cheshire, North Staffordshire, High Peak in Derbyshire, and other local surrounding areas.
Donations from the public were made to help fund £23 million towards the £26 million total cost of the building, with the remaining £3 million coming from the NHS.
Louise Stimson from The Christie charity said: “The new centre will deliver cancer care to the highest Christie standards, but closer to where patients live. Many patients currently travel to The Christie in South Manchester, putting tremendous pressure on them and their families at an already stressful time.
“As a charity, we were hit badly by COVID-19 and that directly impacts the support we can offer the hospital. We have never needed our supporters more because cancer didn’t stop during the pandemic.”
The new infrastructure replaced the old Millbrook Unit to provide a larger capacity space with more advanced technology to offer better patient care to those who live locally.
