Australian health firm Icon Group has announced it will reopen a state-of-the-art cancer centre in Northumberland that has been dormant since 2022. The former Rutherford Cancer Centre at Bomarsund, near Bedlington, closed just four years after opening.
Reopening plans and services
The firm has promised to reopen the centre in "early 2027" and will offer a range of "world class" cancer therapies. Initially, it will be open to private patients, but the firm's bosses have had early discussions with NHS bodies about improving access to the care available.
The re-opened centre will not offer proton beam therapy - which had been a flagship offering under its previous operator, but which NHS England argued did not meet its specifications - but will offer a range of "world class" radiotherapy, immunotherapy, chemotherapy and wider cancer care and support.
Investment and capacity
Icon Group is also reopening former Rutherford Health sites in Newport and Reading. Its investment has been characterised as "multi-million pound" while the re-opened services will, the firm said, "support personalised care for patients, including faster treatment planning, improved accuracy and, where clinically appropriate, fewer treatment sessions".
Icon Group chief executive Mark Middleton said: "We have work to do but are currently aiming to be open by this time next year. We are going to make sure this absolutely world-class facility is available to service the community - and it has the capacity to treat 500 patients a year."
Mr Middleton headed off fears that there was any inherent reason that the previous operators of the centre had been forced to close, adding: "We are one of the biggest cancer care providers in the world. We have 55 cancer centres worldwide and what we are very, very good at is operating sustainable cancer centres. We see this as a long-term investment in the community. We know that the demand is there and we are hoping to be part of the long-term solution."
Partnership and community impact
While initially patients will be private ones, Icon Group is open to working with other healthcare providers including the NHS. Mr Middleton added: "We are a private health provider and we will treat private patients - but we have a tremendous track record partnering with other healthcare organisations in order to improve access to care. We are already doing that - and we have a long history of public-private partnerships in Australia, for example. We are absolutely open to working with all three local NHS trusts."
As for why he thinks this venture is in better shape to succeed, he said: "It's a very different time. I think it's worth noting the previous organisation here had to make its way through Covid. What I would say is that this is a world class facility with world class technology - and all of that can be incredibly expensive. If you don't have the depth or resources and scope, it can be difficult to make your way through the challenges that come along."
Mr Middleton added: "The number of people being diagnosed with cancer continues to rise, and there is a clear need to deliver the best cancer care possible, closer to home. Icon has a strong track record of investing responsibly in the UK to expand access to lifesaving cancer care, working in partnership with local health ecosystems in a way that genuinely supports local people. Healthcare infrastructure is a valuable community asset, and our focus is on ensuring that important cancer care facilities continue to serve the people who rely on them. This centre represents an opportunity to restore critical cancer infrastructure in the North East, ensuring we deliver sustainable, high-quality care for the community that depends on it."
Clinical leadership and jobs
Icon Group's UK chief medical officer is Dr Penny Kechagioglou. Dr Kechagioglou has more than 20 years experience in the NHS and in private practice as a consultant oncologist. She said: "There is a striking statistic - that one in two people in the UK will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime. As a clinician I work to ensure lots of patient can access high-quality treatment and that is crucial. We are investing in the North East - and around the UK - to offer more to patients, including a better experience. We know from experience that patients will often travel for cancer care, so having this care closer to home will not only improve patient experience but also outcomes for them."
Dr Kechagioglou said that the three centres being re-opened by Icon Group would provide around 100 jobs for local communities, while she said the plan is to provide high-quality apprenticeships and work closely with the community, too.
She added: "Every patient is different, so our emphasis is on delivering care that is carefully coordinated, clinically led and centred on the individual. Radiotherapy is a vital part of cancer treatment but underutilised in the UK. Bringing these assets back online creates more access for cancer patients needing life-saving therapy. Every patient with cancer should have access to the right treatment at the right time and as close to home as possible. Bringing this centre back into use will help make that a reality for more people."
