A MULTI-million-pound fundraising scheme is to be launched to make The Royal Surrey Hospital a world-leading cancer centre.

The plan is to make the Guildford hospital a ‘state-of-the-art surgical facility’ which will deliver world-class surgery and peri-operative care.

The centre will include research, training and education for the next generation of surgical specialists.

The ambitious project will be launched by South West Surrey MP Jeremy Hunt on Thursday, September 16 at an event at Haslemere Hall.

Mr Hunt, who is chairman of the powerful and influential cross-party Health and Social Care Select Committee – wants to improve patient experience and prepare for the expected rise in demand for cancer surgery.

He said: “We want to raise money towards a new Cancer and Surgical Innovation Centre for the hospital which would support Royal Surrey as a pre-eminent cancer hub with the very latest treatments, as well as supporting its non-cancer surgical work.

“A dedicated unit would also mean cancer and other vital surgery will be in a strong position to continue uninterrupted in future pandemics or during periods of winter pressure.

“It will be a powerhouse of innovation and technology of which we will all be proud.”

The project will involve:

* A full redesign of Royal Surrey’s theatre capacity;

* New spaces for patients to prepare, rest and recover from surgery;

* New equipment and technology;

* New theatres to increase capacity.

Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust’s chief executive Louise Stead said: “The new facility will be designed for the highest-quality patient experience and will support modern pathways of care for a high volume of cancer surgery as well as benign specialties such as orthopaedics and ophthalmology.

“This design will see cancer surgery taking place in a centre of excellence for surgery more broadly, meaning innovation and learning is shared rapidly across specialities.”

Royal Surrey is a centre of excellence for robotic surgery with three surgical robots in use for patients and one dedicated to training.

The new facility will see this capacity expand further with the creation of a pioneering robotics centre for the UK.

Mr Hunt will be joined at Haslemere Hall next month by senior speakers from Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust, Surrey Heartlands CCG and Haslemere GP Surgery at the health event.

Tickets are available now with a 50p booking fee via Haslemere Hall.

The socially-distanced event will run from 6pm to 7.30pm on September 16.

To attend the event remotely via Zoom, pre-register at https://bit.ly/3iTisdr

For further information about the fundraising campaign see https://www.royalsurreycharity.org.uk/Appeal/cancer-and-surgical-innovation-

centre