Site will save local patients from 70-mile trips.
The doors have officially been opened to a new radiotherapy centre in Milton Keynes.
The centre, called OUH Radiotherapy @ Milton Keynes, is run by an expert multidisciplinary team from Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (OUH) and is linked to the Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Trust (MKUH) Cancer Centre.
It brings to an end the prosect of a 70-mile round trip to Oxford for treatment, for hundreds of cancer patients. The new centre, an expansion of OUH’s radiotherapy service, is expected to save 6,500 round trips a year.
Previously, almost all patients from Milton Keynes and the surrounding area who needed radiotherapy travelled much further afield to Oxford and other places for their treatment. Some cancer patients will still need to travel to Oxford for their radiotherapy.
The facility began welcoming patients in January 2025 but was officially opened by Jen McAuliffe and Martin Flynn, both from Milton Keynes, who are two of the more than 200 patients who have been treated so far.
They were joined at the opening this week by staff from OUH and MKUH, as well as representatives from partners Milton Keynes City Council, MK Mayor James Lancaster, Callum Anderson MP, Milton Keynes Hospital Charity and NHS England.
The facility, which has been built to allow for future expansion, houses a state-of-the-art medical linear accelerator (Linac), a CT scanner, main reception and consultation rooms. There is internal access to and from MKUH’s Cancer Centre and space for a second Linac.
Built by contractor Morgan Sindall Construction, the £17 million project was funded jointly by MKUH with the aid of a grant from Milton Keynes City Council and OUH with financial support from NHS England. It strengthens the OUH-MKUH partnership, which already includes OUH delivering renal services and some cardiology services in Milton Keynes.
“The opening of the OUH Radiotherapy Centre at Milton Keynes University Hospital marks a truly transformative moment for cancer care in the city,” said Joe Harrison, Chief Executive Officer at MKUH. “Co-locating this new service alongside our Cancer Centre enables MKUH and OUH teams to deliver more convenient and accessible cancer care for the people of Milton Keynes.”
“As a growing city, we believe it’s critical that we have the right services and infrastructure available to residents,” added Cllr Pete Marland, Leader of Milton Keynes City Council. “Our investment in this state-of-the-art facility brings cancer treatments closer to home for vulnerable patients – saving them time and reducing stress. I’d like to thank our healthcare partners for delivering this important expansion to Milton Keynes University Hospital.”
