A truly local build: BAM completes Royal Cornwall Hospital’s new Scanning Suite and Haematology & Oncology Ward

Hemel Hempstead, 13 July 2023 - BAM joined the Royal Cornwall Hospital Trust to celebrate the opening of the new Trelawny Scanning Suite and Haematology and Oncology Ward in Truro, almost three years to the day when building work started.

Construction of the new extension to the Trelawny Wing is the culmination of over 250,000 person-hours, by 1,500 individuals. In alignment with BAM’s commitments to championing sustainability and supporting local communities, over 80 per cent of the construction workforce who delivered the project were from Devon and Cornwall.

The new Trelawny Scanning Suite has two state-of-the-art MRI scanners, four ultrasound rooms, in-bed waiting areas that are separated from outpatient areas, an observation area, and a generous anaesthetic room.

The stunning reception and waiting area is spacious and welcoming with a floor to ceiling mural and a dedicated waiting area for children, complete with an interactive play mat. The new reception also supports the existing, adjoining CT scanning department located right next door – bringing all the Trelawny Wing imaging services together.

MRI scanner

Lowen Ward, the haematology and oncology ward at RCHT, is now in its ‘forever home’. It has expanded to 24 beds, six more than previously. Of these, there are twelve side rooms, eight of which are individually ventilated, which is vital for patients with a weakened immune system.

A peaceful palliative care suite with its own private courtyard garden provides a relaxing space for end-of-life care and a dedicated molecular radiotherapy suite also provides a calming environment for those cancer patients requiring specialist, isolated treatment. The Lowen unit also has a day assessment area enabling some patients using the 24-hour oncology care hotline to bypass the emergency department, and facilitating earlier discharge from the ward with ongoing ambulatory care.

Graham Kingdon, Construction Director for BAM, said: ‘We are very proud to have delivered this important suite expansion for the Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust and for the people of Cornwall. The success of this scheme can be put down to the passion of our whole team, and the outstanding cooperation between all parties working on the project. More than 1,500 people have been involved in the construction; at the peak of the build, we had 130 people on site. We are very proud that 80% of our workforce came from Cornwall and Devon, 40% of whom live within a 25-mile radius of the site. BAM has a strong track record of working alongside RCHT, and I am also looking forward to continuing our relationship to deliver the new Women and Children’s Hospital in the coming years.’

Bryson Pottinger, Consultant Haematologist at RCHT and Clinical Lead for the project, said: ‘Our clinical teams in the Imaging Department and on Lowen Ward are thrilled to be in their new homes.  We have always prided ourselves on the great care we give our patients, but this bespoke facility, designed and created with our patients and workforce in mind, takes that pride and care to the next level. It makes the unit a fantastic place to work and an outstanding place for patients to receive treatment. I believe we now have one of the best cancer facilities in the country and we hope it will also become a magnet for more clinical staff wishing to work with us here Cornwall.’