The Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital (CCRH) project has had the first stage of its business case approved by the Department for Health and Social Care and NHS England & NHS Improvement.
The approval of the Strategic Outline Case provides backing for the new hospital as part of the government’s commitment to build 40 new hospitals by 2030, with construction set to begin in 2023.
CCRH is a partnership between Cambridge University Hospitals and the University of Cambridge to build a new specialist cancer hospital.
It will combine cutting-edge NHS clinical space with three new research institutes that will support the ambitions set out in the government's Life Sciences Strategy, and the NHS Long Term Plan.
Watch: Changing the story of cancer - the Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital (opens in a new tab)
Fiona Carey, Patient Advisory Group Co-Chair, said:
"It’s a new, unique hospital with a mission to save countless lives. Together we’ll discover new ways to detect cancer earlier, treat cancer with more precision, and make more break-throughs in less time.”
This is a place that will change the way we find and treat cancer - through patient-centred care, and by bringing world-leading research directly from the bench to the bed
Fiona Carey, Co-chair of the Patient Advisory Group for CCRH
The new seven storey, approx 26,000 m2 building will be situated on Europe’s leading life sciences campus, the Cambridge Biomedical Campus.
Bringing together world-class NHS clinicians with cutting-edge University and industry-led research, CCRH will accelerate the early detection of cancer and lead the way in delivering bespoke, precision treatments that will radically improve patient outcomes.
This one-of-a-kind research hospital supports the government’s ambitions to enable more early diagnosis and help the UK become a ‘testbed for oncology innovation’.
By locating research at the heart of our hospital and clinical spaces we can change the story of cancer for our patients locally and deliver real hope for people across the globe.
Professor Richard Gilbertson, Director of Cancer Research UK Cambridge Centre
Dr Hugo Ford, Director of Cancer Services, Cambridge University Hospital, said:
“Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital is putting the ‘life’ into the Government’s Life Sciences Strategy; with CCRH we have a unique opportunity to transform patient care through patient-led design alongside ground-breaking research."
The new hospital is one of 40 we have committed to build across England by 2030
Health Minister Edward Argar
Health Minister Edward Argar said:
“This is an important milestone in plans to build a new specialist cancer hospital in Cambridge, which will improve cancer care, speed up diagnosis and save more lives. The new hospital is one of 40 we have committed to build across England by 2030, as part of the largest hospital building programme in a generation.”
Additional fundraising and philanthropy will be needed, but the approval of the Strategic Outline Case marks an important milestone for these ambitious plans.
The CCRH delivery team expect to submit the next stage of the business case process (the Outline Business Case) in early 2022. Construction on CCRH is expected to finish in 2025/26.