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This is a timeline of the new Velindre Cancer Centre project starting from 2010. This page will be regularly updated with key milestones as the project develops. 

October 2010

  • We submit a Strategic Outline Case to the Welsh Government, making the case for a new cancer centre with a capital cost of £240 million.
  • We also develop a Strategic Outline Case for additional radiotherapy equipment with options to provide it in a satellite unit in the east or west or at the existing Velindre site.

January 2011

  • The Welsh Government provides us with funding to develop a business case for additional radiotherapy equipment.

April 2012

  • We agree with the Welsh Government to develop an alternative Strategic Outline Case for a new Velindre Cancer Centre.

October 2012

  • Because capital funding was not available for a radiotherapy satellite unit, we lodge alternative proposals with the Welsh Government.

November 2013

  • In response to growing challenges we establish a programme of work to transform cancer services in south east Wales. We establish a Strategic Outline Programme (SOP) to describe the way we should provide non-surgical cancer services in south east Wales, including infrastructure.

December 2013

  • We submit a new Strategic Outline Case to the Welsh Government for a new Velindre Cancer Centre.

October 2014

December 2014

  • The Welsh Government approves our Strategic Outline Programme (SOP) and asks us to develop the programme further with a focus on the way we provide cancer services.

March 2015

  • We hold an Experience Based Design workshop for 54 staff to discuss how services can be improved and what we should retain.
  • We fund additional dedicated clinical and service lead input to the further development of the way we provide cancer services.
  • Seven areas of work covering radiotherapy, chemotherapy, inpatients, outpatients, radiology, clinical research and trials and the proposed centre for learning are set up to develop service proposals. Each has a clinical and service lead.

April 2015

  • Two hundred and ninety people – including patients, carers, clinicians and other staff from Velindre and other health boards – attend three Accelerated Design workshops to test and explore the way we should provide non-surgical cancer services.

May 2015

  • A Second Experience Based Design workshop is held, attended by 49 patients, carers and staff, to co-design Velindre services.

June 2015

  • We produce a comprehensive engagement report to inform the development of the way we provide services.  The paper reports on support from patients, clinicians and health boards.

Engagement report image June TCS

July 2015

  • Comprehensive design events were led by Outhentics which involved over 400 people across South East Wales including patients, clinicians from Local Health Boards, Velindre University NHS Trust, charity and third sector organisatons, the Welsh Government.  The aim of these workshops was to listen to views on what each stakeholder required from current and future services; help establish a core set of design principles; and to start to design the clinical service model.  These workshops helped identify the ‘why’ people wanted change and the ‘what’ they required in the future.

  • Further work was then undertaken to design the clinical service model in much greater detail.  A series of 48 clinical workshops were facilitated by a healthcare planning organisation, Buchan Associates, which supported the design of the clinical services including what services would be delivered where and how they would be delivered.  These workshops helped to identify the ‘what’ services would be delivered and ‘how’ they would be delivered.
     

July – December 2015

  • To develop our service proposals further we hold 48 workshops. They are attended by hundreds of staff, health board staff and partners in higher education, industry and the third sector as well as patients and members of the public.

January 2016

  • To conclude the engagement events held in 2015, we organise a workshop attended by 86 people, 46 from other organisations. Of those attending, 92 per cent supported the proposals developed for providing cancer services in future.

March 2016

  • We meet with younger cancer patients through the SHINE charity to get their take on the services we should provide in future.
  • Twenty local neighbours from Whitchurch, Llandaff and Rhiwbina attend our first open evening to discuss how a new cancer centre could alleviate car parking and traffic issues.
  • The Welsh Government announces support for a new Maggie’s Centre at the new Velindre Cancer Centre.

April 2016

  • Patients give their views on the development of our future cancer strategy in focus groups.

July - August 2016

August 2016

  • Aneurin Bevan and Cwm Taf Health University Boards express an interest in hosting a Radiotherapy Satellite Centre after we ask all health boards covering the region.

October 2016

  • People attend a community meeting for a briefing on our plans to transform cancer services including a new Velindre Cancer Centre.
  • We establish a Clinical Advisory Group with senior clinical representation from health boards and from the Wales Cancer Network. The group’s role is provide multi-disciplinary and organisational advice and challenge to Velindre so that the proposed way of delivering services is clinically robust.

December 2016

  • Admiral facilitates a survey of the public which gets 700 responses.
  • We complete an equality impact assessment to help us promote equality when implementing the programme.

January 2017

  • We ask people for their views on how our new cancer centre should look and feel.
  • An independent external review of the Transforming Cancer Services Programme – known as a Gateway 0 Review – is completed. Its purpose is to review the outcomes and objectives for the programme and to confirm that they make the necessary contribution to Welsh Government strategy.
  • A Gateway 2 Review – another independent external review – of the programme is completed. This review examines the Outline Business Case to ensure that the procurement and delivery strategy is robust and appropriate.

January – May 2017

  • We set up joint planning groups with Aneurin Bevan and Cwm Taf Health Boards about the establishment of a Radiotherapy Satellite Centre.

February 2017

  • The European Investment Bank identifies the new Velindre Cancer Centre as an investment priority.

March 2017

  • The Welsh Government announces that the new Velindre Cancer Centre will be financed using its new Mutual Investment Model (MIM).
  • The Cardiff and Vale of Glamorgan Community Health Council supports the development of a new cancer centre in Whitchurch. They say they are satisfied with the level of public engagement and believe that the public and service users support it.

April 2017

  • We publish draft plans for a new Velindre Cancer Centre on the northern meadows site for consultation with the public. This involves a public exhibition at Whitchurch Library and the cancer centre with question and answer sessions. We also use social media.

May 2017

  • Responding to requests from the local community, we extend the pre-planning application period for consultation on our plans for a new Velindre Cancer Centre. We hold a community meeting and extend the public exhibition at Whitchurch Library.

June 2017

  • Continuing the pre-planning engagement period we take stands at the Big Bite Festival, Vale of Glamorgan Show and Usk Show. We also hold a series of community meetings and continue with the exhibition at Whitchurch Library.
  • An Evaluation Panel approves a Site Selection Evaluation Report recommending that the preferred location of the Radiotherapy Satellite Centre should be Nevill Hall Hospital in Abergavenny.

July 2017

September 2017

October 2017

  • We submit the Programme Business Case to the local health boards in south east Wales.
  • At a meeting with the Welsh Government and Aneurin Bevan University Health Board we agree that the health board will develop an Outline Business Case for the Radiotherapy Satellite Centre at Nevill Hall Hospital.

December 2017

  • Cardiff Council’s Planning Committee grants outline planning permission for the new Velindre Cancer Centre on the northern meadows. Detailed planning permission is approved for a main access from Asda and an emergency access from the Hollybush Estate. Temporary construction access through the Whitchurch Hospital site and Lady Cory’s Field is also given.

January 2018

  • Two workshops are held with health boards to scrutinise our proposals for a new Velindre Cancer Centre. The need for a new centre is agreed.

April 2018

  • Abertawe Bro Morgannwg, Aneurin Bevan, Cardiff and Vale, Cwm Taf and Powys Health Boards approve our Outline Business Case for the new Velindre Cancer Centre. We submit it to the Welsh Government for approval.
  • At the request of the Welsh Government there’s a further independent external review of the new Velindre Cancer Centre Project – known as a Gateway 2 Review.

July 2019

  • Our Trust Board approves an Outline Business Case for the new Velindre Cancer Centre.
  • The Welsh Government approves funding for Aneurin Bevan University Health Board to develop an Outline Business Case for the Radiotherapy Satellite Centre at Nevill Hall Hospital.

October 2019

  • The Welsh Government publishes a plan for health and social care in Wales – “A Healthier Wales” – which sees large general hospitals in future supporting the delivery of specialist services across networks of hospitals and centres of excellence.
  • We set up a Regional Collaborative Commissioning Leadership Group, chaired by the Chief Executive of Cardiff and Vale University Health Board. Involving representatives of other health boards in the region, it agrees to develop a regional approach to improving cancer services.

November 2019

  • Our Board approves the start of the formal phases of the procurement for new radiotherapy equipment and services.

December 2019

  • We agree with Asda that we can use their land at Coryton to provide an easy access to the new Velindre Cancer Centre.

2020

January 2020

  • We publish a Prior Information Notice to inform the market that we will be looking for contractors to build the new Velindre Cancer Centre.

February – March 2020

March 2020

April 2020

  • As a result of the coronavirus pandemic Cardiff Council stops processing planning applications. We defer two applications for access roads to the new cancer centre and delay the start of the procurement process for a consortium to build it.

June 2020

  • After Cardiff Council started to process new planning applications again, we submit two planning applications to revise access roads to the new Velindre Cancer Centre.

June 2020 – autumn 2020

  • Taking account of advice on social distancing, we are holding online public meetings and a series of sessions with community groups.

2021

Competition to choose the consortium which will build the new Velindre Cancer Centre.

The new Velindre Cancer Centre and Enabling Works Outline Business Cases were approved by Welsh Government in March 2021.
 
There is much in these business cases that is commercially sensitive given that we are now entering into a live procurement exercise in order to secure the best partners to work with to complete the build. Therefore, we have redacted some information for this reason. 

The business cases play an important role in our project journey and we will be continuing to share updates as we progress through that journey.

2022

  • July 2022 – Acorn consortium announced as the successful participant of the competitive dialogue to design, build, finance and maintain the new Velindre Cancer Centre 
  • August 2022 - Work starts to build the bridge at the Asda Coryton site

 

 

  • May 2023 - The beams are installed for the bridge works at Asda Coryton
  • June 2023 - The nVCC project wins the Future Healthcare Design category at the prestigious European Healthcare Design Awards
  • August 2023 - The former railway cutting reopens after being closed due to enabling works
  • December 2023 - Work finishes at Lady Cory Field and the bridge at Asda Coryton is complete

Accelerated Design Workshop – an engagement event involving a wide range of stakeholders that is carefully designed to involve participants in co-design, feedback, networking and shared learning.

Assurance Review – provides independent and impartial assessment that the project’s spending objectives can be delivered and improves the prospects of achieving intended outcomes and benefits.

Business Case – a proposal to invest resources in an undertaking (or change) that will provide specific benefits to the organisation.

Experience Based Design Workshop – an engagement event which draws on capturing and understanding patients’, carers’ and staff experiences of services to design better healthcare services.

Gateway 0 Review – an independent, external review required by the Treasury for large projects to review their outcomes and objectives (and the way they fit together) and to confirm that they make the necessary contribution to Government strategy.

Gateway 2 Review – an independent, external review required by the Treasury for large projects to provide assurance that the project can be successfully delivered.

Mutual Investment Model – a form of partnership between the public and private sectors.

Outline Business Case (OBC) – the ‘intermediate’ business case and second stage in the development of a business case for a significant project. It identifies the option offering best public value for spend, confirms the deal and affordability, and puts in place the arrangements for successful delivery.

Prior Information Notice – advance notice to the private sector of an intention to start a procurement process.

Programme Business Case (PBC) – ascertains strategic fit for the Programme and identifies the inter-related projects and activities which need to be delivered to support the delivery of anticipated benefits.

Radiotherapy Satellite Centre – a place where Velindre staff provide radiotherapy services away from the main cancer centre.

Velindre University NHS Trust, Unit 2,Charnwood Court, Parc Nantgarw, Nantgarw, Cardiff, CF15 7QZ
Tel: 029 2019 6161