A new cutting-edge cancer facility in Aberdeen is facing a “significant delay” of more than a year in a move which has been described as “deeply disappointing” by those backing the proposal.
The Ucan SURE (swift urological response and evaluation) unit is designed to provide rapid diagnosis of patients with kidney, bladder, prostate and testicular cancer and it was hoped that the £2.5m centre, which has been supported by charity Friends of ANCHOR, would open this spring at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.
However, Ucan’s chief executive, Kenny Anderson – himself a survivor of prostate cancer – has told The P&J that the unit faces a delay of at least 13 months, and fears this will have a serious impact on many patients in the north-east.
Ucan advised NHS Grampian last October that they had reached their primary fundraising goal, and that construction and equipment procurement could start, with the aim of patients being treated within the new unit this May.
But, although the initiative was approved by the board of NHS Grampian in December, acting chief executive Adam Coldwells decided there needed to be a further appraisal of the four rooms which had originally been designated for the SURE unit.
Suddenly the goalposts changed
Mr Coldwells told Ucan last month that the SURE unit would be moved to an alternative location within ARI, but this has caused issues.
A timeline provided by the health body indicates that the design time and preparation work for the SURE unit in the new Yellow Zone will take until October, with patients not being seen until at least next May.
Mr Anderson told The P&J today: “The key impact of the delay to the SURE unit will be that waiting times for diagnosis and treatment of urological cancers will not be reduced as quickly as they would be.
“As a result, anxiety amongst patients and their families will continue to be an issue.
Ucan boss: ‘There will be fewer positive outcomes’
“The positive benefits of the SURE unit will also be delayed in terms of more efficient use of clinicians’ time and operating theatre time being freed up.
“There would also be savings in multiple night hospital stays with the complications that general anaesthetic, open surgery and hospital stays can bring.
“We know that early diagnosis of early-stage urological cancers can make them curable without long-term interventions.
“My own prostate cancer journey [after being diagnosed in 2018] is a perfect example.
From 12 weeks to two days: the benefits of SURE
“I had to wait about six to seven weeks and then wait to see the consultant after that. The whole process in my case took about 11 or 12 weeks.
“A repeat of that, after this unit has been completed, would reduce my time to two days which is incredibly good and far more efficient.
“But, given the delay to the design and construction, there will inevitably be fewer positive outcomes, with all that that means.”
Mr Anderson said he is committed to working with NHS Grampian to ensure that cancer patients are offered a more rapid diagnosis and treatment.
He said: “We will do all we can to reduce the delay and mitigate its impact and any unforeseen issues, but this turn of events is deeply disappointing.”
NHS Grampian still wants SURE unit
An NHS Grampian spokesperson responded: “The NHS Board and executive team has been fully supportive of Ucan since its opening in 2008.
“We welcome the renewed SURE charitable fundraising work to expand this gold standard resource in ARI.
“We need to ensure this excellent new service fits in neatly with all the other services we provide at ARI and, crucially, that providing benefit to one group of patients does not come at a detriment to others.
“As discussed at our board meeting last December, we have further examined the initial proposal, and the original space earmarked for the SURE unit.
They are being moved to Yellow Zone
“As this area has the capacity to host in-patient beds – and recognising the continuing demand for beds and our ability to increase our capacity is limited – we have advised Ucan the SURE unit will now be based in the Yellow Zone of ARI.
“We note they have some concerns about the area identified, but once refurbished, it will provide an excellent facility for the location of the SURE unit.”
Sarah-Jane Hogg, chief executive at Friends of ANCHOR, told the P&J: “We recognise the disappointment delays like this bring, and the frustration that’s felt at the waiting lists that patients are currently facing.
“Our commitment to the SURE Unit continues to stand firm and we can only hope there is swift action in progressing the work for the site of the unit.
‘We are supportive of Ucan’
“Our priority is and always will be delivering the best that we can for patients in the north-east of Scotland.
“We support Ucan in their efforts to see the SURE Unit doors open as early as they possibly can to make this one-stop diagnostic facility a reality here.”
Conversation