Cancer centre

Cancer Centre Outpatients

Most outpatient appointments will take place over the telephone or via a video call.

If you have a planned appointment and have not heard from us to change your appointment, please contact us using the contact details on your appointment letter. Please do not come in unless we ask you to.

If you are due to come in for an appointment that we have confirmed is still happening and you or anyone in your household has suspected Coronavirus symptoms, please contact us using the contact details on your appointment letter. We will inform your consultant and let you know what to do next.

Radiotherapy

There is no longer a requirement to wear a face mask, but you may do so if you wish.

If you are experiencing any Covid 19 symptoms, please contact the department as soon as possible before your appointment.  

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy and Immunotherapy continues to be delivered on Chilworth day unit. If you have any symptoms of Coronavirus please do not attend. To maintain some distance between people we have reduced the number of our treatment chairs and extended our opening hours, to ensure we can treat everyone without having too many people in at any one time.

Please come at the time of your appointment and not too early, to minimise your length of time on the unit. Your temperature will be taken on arrival.

Unfortunately at this time, we cannot allow any visitors or family to attend with you. If someone has travelled with you to hospital, please can we ask that they remain in their car. If you or anyone in your household has suspected Coronavirus symptoms, please contact us using the contact details on your appointment letter. We will inform your consultant and let you know what to do next.

Nuclear Medicine

All oncology diagnostic procedures will continue as normal throughout the pandemic. Some non-oncology routine scans will be postponed until further notice. Urgent molecular radiotherapy will continue. We will be telephoning all patients 24 - 48 hours before the appointment to confirm that they still wish to attend and to confirm that they have no Coronavirus symptoms at this point in time. We ask that patients attend the department no more than five minutes before their appointment and only bring someone with them if absolutely necessary, ie a carer. We also request that patients do not remain in the department between their radiopharmaceutical injection and scan and recommend that they return to their car, wherever possible, during this period. If patients are unable to do this, then they may remain in the department. 

All chairs in the waiting area are separated by a 2 metre space and we ask patients not to move these.

If you experience Coronavirus symptoms on the day of your planned procedure, please do not come in for your appointment, instead, telephone the department and we will inform your consultant and tell you what to do next.

Onslow ward

Onslow ward is currently looking after patients with cancer and patients who have had or are due to have surgery.

During this time, we would like it if you had a named contact that the ward can communicate and update you of how your relative is doing, please provide us with one contact number.

At the Cancer Centre we provide high quality care for all of our patients in a friendly and professional setting.

Our services have received national and international recognition and praise, and patients benefit from the latest and innovative treatments available, delivered by a team of committed and highly skilled staff.

This section provides an overview of the services we offer and what to expect as a patient at the Cancer Centre.

Our Outpatient clinics are held daily, usually between 9am and 5pm. The Cancer Centre has its own Outpatients department set apart from the main hospital, and this can be found on Level B.

Upon arrival, you will need to check in with our reception staff. Here, you will be welcomed to the Cancer Centre. It is important that we keep up-to-date records and so it is helpful if you can notify the staff of any recent changes to your personal details.

New patients can spend much longer in the hospital as they will be having information collected from them. You will be advised on how much time you should allow for this. It is useful to have a family member or a friend to accompany you as there will be a considerable amount of information to take on board.

We also have a Teenage and Young Adult Cancer Service (TYAC) for young people aged 16 to 24 years. 

In Summer 2022 we began work to expand and modernise our Cancer Centre building. This work will provide more clinical space with more facilities and easy access between waiting areas, clinical rooms and patient services. Find out more about our plans.

You will normally have your blood tests taken in advance of your appointment with the doctor, in order that the doctor has the most recent information to hand for your consultation.

For more information about blood tests, to view our opening times, and to book an appointment please click here.

When the doctor is ready to see you, one of our clinic nurses will come and collect you from one of the waiting areas. The nurse may need to perform some checks before the doctor sees you to ensure that they are as informed as possible about your condition. It is important that you ask your doctor about any aspect of your care if you are unclear – all of our Consultants will be happy to address any of your concerns.

Occasionally, you may find a student present in your clinic room, as they often shadow doctors and nurses as part of their training. We would like to emphasise that our staff are happy to ask the student not to attend your consultation if you would prefer them not to.

The Cancer Centre is a research active and has a number of research projects on offer for our patients. Therefore, at your consultation, your consultant may invite you to participate in a research study.

What happens after your consultation will depend on your personal management plan that your doctor will put together with you towards the end of your appointment.

Generally, any of the following is likely to happen:

• You may be asked to book another appointment. If this is the case, our reception staff will agree a future clinic date with you and provide you with an appointment card.
• Your treatment may be started. The date and location of your next attendance will vary depending on your individual management plan. However, the doctor will explain the details to you clearly and you will be asked to sign a consent form to confirm that they have done this.
• Your doctor will write to your GP, recounting the discussions you have had and the decisions made during your appointment. If you do not want your GP to receive a clinic letter, please advise your doctor accordingly.

The Royal Surrey’s main pharmacy is located on Level B of the main hospital building. The Cancer Centre has a satellite pharmacy on the Level B area of Oncology Outpatient Department (Outpatients 12). This pharmacy is open between 9am and 5:45pm.

You can contact the Cancer Centre Pharmacy on: 01483 464071.

Car Park 1 (accessible off Gill Avenue) – this is suitable if you have appointments in Nuclear Medicine, the Oncology Clinic or Chemotherapy located on Level B and Level F Wards. 

Car Park 3 (accessible from the rear of the Cancer Centre) – this is suitable for appointments in the Radiotherapy Department. 

All patients attending the cancer centre are eligible for free car parking on site.  You will be sent an initial car parking permit with the letter for your first appointment. Once this expires, a three month permit can be issued from the cancer centre’s main reception (Level B).

Please note, this permit does not guarantee you a space and parking on site is limited. Should you experience any issues, please speak to the CP Plus team, who manage our car parks. They can be contacted by telephone on: 01483 571122 Ext 6962

• Oncology Outpatients
  01483 406 761

  Radiotherapy Reception (Royal Surrey Cancer Centre)
  01483 406 600

  Radiotherapy East Surrey Hospital
  01737 768511 ext 8311

  Radiotherapy Booking Office
  01483 571 122 ext 6632/2570

  Nuclear Medicine Reception
  01483 406 701

  Brachytherapy
  01483 571122 ext 6615

  Chemotherapy Outpatients
  01483 406 787

  Chilworth Day Unit
  01483 571 122 ext 6842

  Onslow Ward
  01483 571122 ext 6858

  Teenage and Young Adult Cancer Unit
  01483 571122 ext 2596

  The Fountain Centre
  01483 406618