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Wednesday 22 May 2024

Patients receiving chemotherapy treatment at Kidderminster Hospital are being cared for in a new state-of-the-art unit from this week. Staff at the hospital’s Millbrook Suite completed their move to a refurbished unit on Monday morning (20 May) and opened the doors of the unit to the first group of patients the same afternoon.

The new home for the Millbrook Suite, in A Block at Kidderminster Hospital, is in a unit which was completely refurbished to provide a temporary base for chemotherapy services that were relocated from the Alexandra Hospital, Redditch, during the Covid pandemic. The unit has been unoccupied since those services returned to the Alexandra but is now back in use for cancer patients from Kidderminster and the surrounding areas.

Sam Toland, who is the lead chemotherapy nurse for Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “We are really pleased to have moved the Millbrook Suite into its new home. We have a wonderful team who provide a fantastic chemotherapy service at Kidderminster, and they are excited about being able to move into a much more modern, light and spacious environment where they can provide an even better experience for our patients, many of whom are receiving long term care and make regular visits to us.

“As well as a much-improved environment, the new location offers better pick up and drop off and easier access.  It also offers potential in the future to increase the number of patients we can care for in Millbrook Suite at any one time. We know that the demand for chemotherapy services is increasing across our county. Moving the Millbrook Suite to this new location will help us to respond to that demand in future.”

Among the first patients in the relocated Millbrook Suite was Linda Amor, currently receiving regular chemotherapy for bone marrow cancer. Like many Millbrook Suite patients she has made frequent visits to the unit during different stages of her treatment over the past four years. Monday’s visit came five days into her latest round of seven consecutive days of chemotherapy.

Linda, 75, from Bewdley praised the Millbrook Suite staff saying “they are absolutely fantastic – they are literally keeping me alive and the treatment they are giving me means I can enjoy spending more time with my 11 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. The new unit is marvellous, but I’m sure any contributions to making it even nicer would be gratefully received.”

Further enhancements are planned for the Millbrook Suite supported by Worcestershire Acute Hospitals Charity. The local community have always generously supported the department and the charity is working with the Millbrook Suite team to install bespoke artwork to further improve the environment for patients. To find out more please visit www.wahcharity.org or call 01905 768954.