Dublin’s Beacon Hospital has opened a new 4,000 sq ft cancer-care day unit at the hospital campus following a €1.5 million capital investment.

The new sixth floor unit has capacity to treat more than 20 patients per day, with adjacent consultation suites, two isolation treatment rooms, a dedicated family meeting room and a counselling room.

The oncology team at Beacon Hospital includes medical oncology consultants, haematology consultants, palliative medicine and supportive care consultants. The team also includes consultants in gastroenterology, neurology and rheumatology who utilise specialty antibody therapies for their patients.

In 2015, the cancer care unit at Beacon Hospital managed over 6,000 patient visits, operated six separate Oncology MDT's, and offered a free counselling service to Beacon Oncology patients.

The number of new cancer cases is rising in Ireland. In the latest National Cancer Registry review, it is expected that there will be more than 37,000 new cancer diagnoses annually.

Speaking at the opening of the new unit, Joint Medical Director and Consultant Oncologist at Beacon Hospital, Dr Jennifer Westrup said the services available to patients at the unit will allow for enhanced individual treatment programmes for patients in a state-of-the-art clinical setting.

“Our new cancer care day unit is one of the most advanced facilities of its kind in Ireland and puts the focus on tailoring treatment programmes for patients to ensure that treatments are continually monitored and aligned to patients’ ongoing progress. The importance of having a comfortable and relaxed setting for patients undergoing treatment is essential" added Dr Westrup.

The €1.5 million investment in the new cancer care day unit is part of a €32 million five-year capital investment and expansion plan at the hospital which was unveiled in December. The plan will see several departments within the hospital extended along with the acquisition and utilisation of ‘first-in-Ireland’ technical infrastructure and equipment.