1 minute read
MK COUNCIL
Milton Keynes City Council Leader Cllr Pete Marland joins Chief Executive at Milton Keynes University Hospital Joe Harrison with colleagues and partners at the intended site for the radiotherapy centre
As more and more people continue to choose Milton Keynes as their home, it is crucial that we continue to invest in expanding our key infrastructure. That is why I’m pleased to say that Milton Keynes City Council is set to fund £5.7m for a new radiotherapy unit at Milton Keynes University Hospital, bringing the total it has given to the hospital for cancer and acute care to £15.7m.
We have worked closely with the Milton Keynes University Hospital Trust for several years, using money that we raise from commercial developers as they build new homes to develop facilities and health services on the campus at Eaglestone. This money can then be spent on a range of facilities that benefit local people as the city grows.
Previously, this meant £5m could go towards the Hospital’s Maple Centre for emergency assessments and care which opened in late 2022, and £5m was put towards its bespoke Cancer Centre which opened in early 2020. The new £5.7m adds a local radiotherapy unit to the Cancer Centre, meaning MK patients who currently have to travel to the Churchill Hospital in Oxford, which is often a three hour round trip, could instead receive essential treatment on their doorstep.
This is a major benefit of living in a growing city, as people will have more specialist healthcare closer to their home. It’s great news that this funding will help the University Hospital unlock this important facility for local residents. £15m buys some stateof-the-art facilities which the team is making and will continue to make fantastic use of.
I look forward to working with the University Hospital as the plans progress, and we could see the radiotherapy unit open as early as spring 2024.
Pete MarlandLeader of Milton Keynes City Council
CONTACT DETAILS: Tel: 01908 252442 Email: peter.marland@milton-keynes.gov.uk Facebook: @mklabour ADDRESS: c/o Milton Keynes City Council, Civic Offices, 1 Saxon Gate East, Milton Keynes MK9 3EJ
