A quarter-of-a-billion-pound investment in healthcare has been confirmed today by the Government and New Hospitals Programme to build a new regional Centre of Excellence for cancer care in Brighton & Hove, Sussex.
The funding cements a new future for the Royal Sussex County Hospital, where the state-of-the-art centre will soon rise from where the oldest hospital building in the country was still welcoming patients only a few years ago.
The new Sussex Cancer Centre propels the hospital from the Victorian age into the modern era where every aspect of its design has been meticulously considered to prioritise patient experience, care and outcomes.
Dr Andy Heeps, chief executive of University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust, said: “Securing this quarter-of-a-billion-pound investment for our regional cancer centre is the result of years of hard work and determination by our teams and partners, with patients and carers, volunteers and specialists all contributing to the process.
“The result is a cancer centre we’re exceptionally proud of, where natural light will flood each floor and intuitive layouts and calming design support healing and recovery. We’ve embedded clinical research into the very fabric of the building, and new specialist assessment areas will provide an alternative to A&E for many patients with cancer.
“We know our new Sussex Cancer Centre will be transformative in so many ways, and as we receive the £250m funding that makes all this possible, I want to express my thanks to everyone who has supported the journey and made it possible. I look forward to celebrating with you all when we open the new Sussex Cancer Centre in 2029.”
21st Century care
The new Sussex Cancer Centre will welcome more than 60,000 patients a year from right across Sussex. At every level, patients will encounter modern facilities fit for the 21st century – from high-precision radiotherapy and expanded outpatient clinics on the lower floors, to the dedicated assessment area, day-unit and ward all enjoying stunning sea views from the upper floors.
As the second major milestone of the RSCH 3Ts Hospital Redevelopment project, the Sussex Cancer Centre serves as a flagship for the Trust’s new Excellent Care Everywhere strategy –fulfilling a key ambition to develop specialist Centres of Excellence that bring world-class clinical expertise together under one roof.
With Sussex having the second-largest cancer population in the country, and 1 in 2 people now projected to have cancer in their lifetime, the £250m investment is of paramount importance to local communities. The funding will more than triple the tertiary hospital’s clinical space dedicated to cancer care and provide much-needed regional capacity and new technology to improve services and embed research into daily practice.
Dr Sarah Westwell, consultant clinical oncologist and Chief of Service for Cancer, said: “For our patients and all the staff I’ve worked alongside for years, this isn’t just a budget approval – it is a watershed moment that finally brings our facilities in line with the world-class care we strive to deliver every day.
“Our new Sussex Cancer Centre will offer privacy, dignity, and hope to our patients, and as doctors, nurses, therapists, technicians and researchers, we’re all thrilled to be able to help craft a new clinical home where medical excellence, outstanding care and leading research can be woven into every step of our patient’s journey.”
Once-in-a-generation investment in cancer care
Minister of State for Health, Karin Smyth, said: “I know from personal experience how vital high-quality cancer care is – and that’s why this £250 million investment in the Sussex Cancer Centre matters so much. This flagship new hospital in the heart of Brighton will transform cancer care for patients across Sussex. It’s a major step forward for patients and families who rely on these services every day.
“As we prepare to publish our National Cancer Plan, today’s announcement shows what backing the NHS really means: long-term investment, modern hospitals and better care where it’s needed most. This government is committed to renewing Britain and fixing our NHS – and this is exactly what that looks like in practice.”
The hospital’s local Member of Parliament and Cabinet Office Parliamentary Secretary, Chris Ward MP, added: “This £250 million Government investment is a landmark moment for Sussex and a huge vote of confidence in our NHS locally. The new Sussex Cancer Centre will transform care for thousands of patients every year, bringing world-class treatment, cutting-edge research and compassionate care together under one roof.
“For patients and families facing a cancer diagnosis, the new Centre of Excellence will mean faster access to specialist care, better outcomes, and a setting designed around their needs. I’m proud to have supported this project and to see Brighton playing such a vital role in delivering modern, 21st-century cancer care for communities right across Sussex.”
The chief programme officer for the New Hospital Programme, Natalie Forrest, agreed, citing the confirmation of a quarter-of-a-billion-pound investment as a major milestone for everyone involved. She added: “With above-ground works starting onsite this summer, new Sussex Cancer Centre will replace outdated facilities with a modern, purpose-designed hospital delivering safer, faster, and more personalised cancer care for people across Sussex.”
Purposed-designed Centre of Excellence
The new Sussex Cancer Centre will provide safer, more efficient, and better access to cancer care and services for more than a million people in Sussex. Key benefits include:
- Clinical excellence: The centre will act as a regional hub of expertise, significantly boosting capacity. Crucially, the development includes a dedicated Oncology Acute Assessment area, a specialist facility expected to prevent more than 1,000 vulnerable cancer patients each year from having to attend the general A&E department, ensuring they receive expert care in the right place while also reducing wider hospital pressures.
- Enhanced patient experience: The centre’s different levels are designed as a cohesive healing environment. From welcoming outpatient departments to high-tech chemotherapy treatment areas flooded with natural light, every space is carefully planned with our patients in mind. By replacing cramped, disjointed facilities with modern layouts, the design creates a sanctuary that supports patients and their families through every stage of their journey.
- Integrated research and innovation: Dedicated research and innovation spaces are woven into the fabric of the building to ensure every patient and staff member has an opportunity to participate in life-saving clinical trials or benefit from new AI and other technologies. The new Sussex Cancer Centre is designed to ensure the latest global breakthroughs can happen locally too and benefit patients in Sussex.
- New public realm: A new landscaped plaza will create a new front door to the site between the Louisa Martindale Building (Stage 1 of the 3Ts Redevelopment) and the new Sussex Cancer Centre (Stage 2). With extensive planting, shrubs and trees, it will provide a peaceful sanctuary for patients, families, and staff, that connects the two developments into a unified, modern healthcare campus.
3Ts Stage 3 and new Emergency Floor
Completing the 3Ts vision, the £250m redevelopment also includes the creation of a new logistics yard. As the third and final stage of the project, this will be sited where the current cancer department is located to improve how goods and services move around the site. It will remove heavy vehicle traffic from patient-facing areas to ensure the entire campus functions more efficiently, allowing clinical staff to focus their time and energy where it matters most: on patient care.
Separately, the transformation of the RSCH campus is also supported by a locally funded multi-million redevelopment of the Emergency Department and A&E in Brighton. Phase 1 of the Acute Floor Reconfiguration has introduced a new Acute Medical Unit (AMU) and Surgical Assessment Unit (SAU), and subsequent phases will deliver a complete transformation of the main Emergency Department, featuring a brand-new resuscitation suite, a dedicated children’s emergency zone, and enhanced ambulance arrival facilities. This will culminate in a fully integrated urgent care hub for the hospital, designed to streamline the patient journey from the front door to specialist treatment.
Together, these investments ensure University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust and its Royal Sussex County Hospital campus in Brighton fulfils its remit to provide a Sussex-wide Centre of Excellence for cancer care and modern urgent and emergency specialist care at its regional Major Trauma Centre.
Improvement projects happening across UHSussex