His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh earlier this month (4 September) opened the Thornton Suite at the University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust’s Leicester Royal Infirmary.
The suite is a specialist facility supporting the treatment of gynaecological cancers with a type of radiotherapy called brachytherapy.
To mark the opening, the Duke of Edinburgh took a tour of the suite to meet colleagues at University Hospitals of Leicester (UHL) and understand their roles in the patient journey, as well as two patients who had undergone treatment in the unit.
‘An opportunity to expand’
Head of radiotherapy at UHL, Suzi Jordan, said: “Each treatment of brachytherapy is personalised for every patient, and this new facility allows our teams to offer multi-disciplinary care, which means we all work together to share our specialist knowledge and expertise for our patients under one roof.
“The facilities allow us to see more patients and it gives us an opportunity to expand the service in the future.”
Brachytherapy involves a sealed radioactive source being placed inside or adjacent to the treatment area. UHL currently offers brachytherapy for gynaecological cancers, typically following treatments such as surgery and chemotherapy.
‘A familiar, supportive environment’
Richard Mitchell, chief executive of UHL, said: “It is an honour to welcome The Duke of Edinburgh to officially open our new Thornton Suite – marking a significant milestone in our ongoing commitment to delivering high quality care.
“The Thornton Suite ensures patients receive their treatment in a familiar, supportive environment, with the consistency of being cared for by the same dedicated radiographers throughout their journey.
“Delivering the suite has been a tremendous team effort and I’d like to thank everyone who played a part in making it possible. This new facility will enable us to continue meeting the needs of our patients - both now and in the years ahead.”
After completing the tour, the Duke of Edinburgh unveiled a plaque to officially commemorate the opening.
(Image: Thornton Suite team with HRH the Duke of Edinburgh (second from the right))