Friday 14th August 2020: John Sisk & Son is pleased to announce that work has commenced on the new OUH (Oxford University Hospitals) Swindon Radiotherapy Centre at the Great Western Hospital site.

At the peak of construction Sisk will have 60 operatives on site and the project is due to be complete in winter 2021. Funding for the project has come from Oxford University Hospitals (£18.4m) combined with £2.9m which was donated by local people.

It is estimated that the new centre will save over 13,000 journeys to Oxford for treatment every year. The OUH Swindon Radiotherapy Centre is an expansion of Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust’s radiotherapy service, currently provided solely from the Churchill Hospital in Oxford.

Ajaz Shafi, Managing Director, UK South, Sisk said: “We are delighted to help bring a new facility to work with the Health Authority to support the wellbeing of its users and expand our UK health portfolio with this project. This facility will be of great benefit to the people of Swindon and the wider Wiltshire region.

“We are using our expertise of constructing linear accelerator bunkers for radiotherapy treatment on our projects in Ireland and putting it into practice here. We look forward to working with OUH, Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Brighter Futures (The Charity of Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust) and the local community in Swindon.”

Sam Foster, Chief Nursing Officer at OUH said: “The difference this new facility will make to local cancer patients and their families is so important. The reduction in travel time means less stress and anxiety and more time to do other things. I am so pleased we are finally able to start work. I look forward to tracking the progress."

Kevin McNamara, Chief Executive, Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: "This project was made possible thanks to the £2.9 million raised by Brighter Futures' Radiotherapy Appeal, through the generous donations and fundraising efforts of local people.

"Bringing radiotherapy to Swindon will make a huge difference to the lives of hundreds of local families and we are all so pleased to see building work finally start.

"The Swindon Radiotherapy Centre will be an incredible legacy of the community spirit of Swindon and the surrounding communities."