Treatment starts at Oxford University Hospitals Radiotherapy Centre at Milton Keynes

Today (Monday 27 January 2025) the first patients will begin receiving radiotherapy at the new Oxford University Hospitals Radiotherapy Centre @ Milton Keynes.  The new centre is run by an expert multidisciplinary team from Oxford University Hospitals and is linked to the Milton Keynes University Hospital Cancer Centre that opened in 2020.

The new Radiotherapy Centre will make it much easier for many cancer patients who will now be able to receive life-saving treatment locally in Milton Keynes.  Previously, almost all patients from Milton Keynes and the surrounding area who needed radiotherapy travelled much further afield to Oxford and other places for their treatment.  The department has been built to allow for future expansion, providing the opportunity to increase capacity and further reduce the travel required for the majority of those needing radiotherapy.

This project, funded jointly by Milton Keynes University Hospital with the aid of a grant from Milton Keynes Council and Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (OUH) with financial support from NHS England, strengthens Oxford University Hospitals’ partnership with Milton Keynes University Hospital.  This partnership already includes OUH delivering renal services and some cardiology in the city of Milton Keynes.  The two Trusts believe that their partnership allows the local population to have better access to specialist care closer to home.

Professor Meghana Pandit, chief executive officer at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said:

“It has been our ambition to bring specialist care such as radiotherapy treatment closer to patients’ homes and I am absolutely delighted that the Oxford University Hospitals Radiotherapy Centre @ Milton Keynes is today treating patients in Milton Keynes.  This follows many years of planning and hard work of many individuals and teams to get to this point.

“We know that this new facility is really very important for local patients and their families. The reduction in travel time means less stress and anxiety and more time to do other things.  This brings quality care closer to home for our patients, which reflects our Trust values of Compassion, Delivery and Excellence.”

Dr Ketan Shah, head of radiotherapy at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said:

“We have been working to deliver this improvement to services for Milton Keynes patients for a very long time. I am so pleased that we are finally able to treat patients locally. OUH Radiotherapy is about consistent, high quality, cutting-edge treatment, given with individual care – the same service but closer to home.”

Joe Harrison, chief executive officer at Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, said:

“We are delighted to see the Radiotherapy Centre open to its first patients here in Milton Keynes. This new facility, which complements our existing Cancer Care service, represents a significant step forward in providing our community with access to a wide range of essential, high-quality cancer treatments right here at home. By reducing the need for long-distance travel, we are not only easing the burden on patients and their families but also ensuring they receive timely and compassionate care. This collaboration with OUH underscores our broader commitment to enhancing healthcare services and improving patient outcomes in Milton Keynes.”