Shovels at the ready, staff at East Surrey Hospital performed a ‘topping out’ ceremony at a new state of the art radiotherapy facility in Redhill this week.
The unit will start treating people next spring and is great news for patients who currently have to travel to Guildford for treatment.
Michael Wilson, Chief Executive for Surrey & Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust, which runs the hospital where the new facility is being built, said: “Our patients needing radiotherapy currently have to a 46 mile round trip to Guildford for treatment. The new unit means they will now be able to have their treatment much closer to home and in a brand new modern facility.”
Surrey & Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust has joined forces with Royal Surrey County Hospital in Guildford on the £10 million project.
Nick Moberly, Chief executive of Royal Surrey County Hospital, said: “I am thrilled to be celebrating the topping out of our radiotherapy building. It is a day of celebration and reflection on the progress we have made in the past 18 months and I am looking forward to being here again next spring to celebrate the official opening.”
Kier Construction began work on the project in March. Kevin Barden, Construction Manager, added: “Kier is delighted to be celebrating this significant construction milestone for what will be a vitally important radiotherapy building at Redhill. Once complete next year, the new facility will be a state of the art addition to the healthcare provided in the area, ensuring the people it serves continue to receive an excellent level of service for many years to come.”
The traditional topping out ceremony is an old tradition in the building trade. It is often accompanied by the planting of a tree which symbolises bringing life to the building and takes place when a building is structurally complete.
