A Welsh cancer centre has proposed to add a Portakabin waiting area to its grounds due to "increasing demand" following the coronavirus pandemic. Planning permission has been granted for a temporary facility to be constructed at Velindre Cancer Centre (VCC) in Cardiff to address a growing backlog of appointments.
Velindre said an "increase in activity at the cancer centre has put pressure on our existing facilities" following the coronavirus pandemic and that there had been an increase in the number of referrals.
A letter from Anne Marie Stockdale, Head of Outpatient, Medical Records, and Private Patient Services read: "Capacity in the outpatient department has been challenging for some time due to increasing demand based on the cancer incidence rate and post Covid 19 pandemic surge. Internal modelling predicts an increase of 12% in referrals to VCC by 2023 as the post pandemic surge takes effect."
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The centre is undertaking a 'transformational programme of work" to attempt to improve and stabilise the current situation in the outpatient department, the letter says, which includes additional consultation and a "modernisation of ways of working."
The portable waiting area, the letter says, would improve patient flow and reduce waiting times within the main outpatient department. It would also allow the phlebotomy service, which is located in the outpatient department, to be re-located and release capacity to meet the increasing demand.
"The Trust has a responsibility for treating patients in a timely manner. Increasing strain on NHS resources is very much part of everyday life with daily news coverage around the numbers of patients waiting and the expectation of post-Covid waits to increase," the letter continues.
"This planning application for the modular unit will assist the people who are among the most vulnerable, cancer patients and very much hope that is its supported so that we can continue to provide a high quality service to our patients."
A Velindre Cancer Centre Spokesperson said: "The number of patients coming through our doors has increased in recent months as NHS services return to full capacity following the Covid-19 pandemic and a growing number of patients are referred for cancer care.
"The increase in activity at the cancer centre has put pressure on our existing facilities which we are actively managing. We are pleased to have received planning permission for a small new temporary structure that will provide additional space to manage our service."
It as recently reported that the number of patients receiving cancer treatment within the target time of 62 days of first being suspected of cancer is at its all time low in Wales. Just 50.1% of patient pathways (881 out of 1,760) started their first treatment within the targeted 62 days of being suspected of cancer in January. Welsh Government data from January showed that patients waiting for cancer treatment in Wales are facing increased waiting times and the NHS struggles with demand.
The Welsh Government has agreed to fund a new Velindre Hospital in the Whitchurch suburb of Cardiff to replace the current centre. However, health and environmental groups argue that it would be preferable to build a new facility adjacent to Cardiff’s University Hospital of Wales, pointing to research which suggests it is better to have cancer centres on a site that is integrated with a general hospital. Local residents also oppose the destruction of the Northern Meadows, a green open space on which it is intended to build the new Velindre centre, and have been protesting against the decision. You can read more about that here.
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