Horsham MP visits local mobile cancer unit, which has provided more than 5,000 treatments

Located in Horsham and Woking, this innovative service delivers crucial cancer care treatments, such as subcutaneous injections and intravenous infusions, that are traditionally available only in hospital settings. This not only provides patients with a choice in the location and method of receiving care but also dramatically reduces the time patients spend on travel.

Since its inception in 2019, the clinic has administered 5,566 treatments in Surrey, operating three days a week and serving up to 60 patients a week. To date, it has decreased the time spent in cars by approximately 980 hours and cut the travel distance by nearly 72,000 miles, compared to hospital visits.

Paul Adams, CEO of LloydsPharmacy Clinical Homecare, said: “We are grateful to Sir Jeremy Quin MP for taking the time to visit our unit and see firsthand how we are making a difference in the local community. This mobile clinic is a vital part of our commitment to providing accessible, high-quality healthcare. By offering a choice of where and how they receive their care, we not only alleviate the stress associated with frequent hospital visits but also significantly enhance our patients' quality of life. Empowering patients with these choices aligns with the core principles of the NHS and helps us deliver care that truly meets their needs.”

Dr Clare Grace, CEO of EMS Healthcare, commented: “The mobile treatment suite at Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust is an incredible example of how delivering medical solutions in the heart of our communities can enhance accessibility and elevate patient experiences. From supermarkets to leisure centre car parks, the support of the local community means that treatment suites like this can be strategically placed in convenient locations, improving the patient experience by bringing care closer to home.”

Sir Jeremy Quin, MP for Horsham, said: “I was delighted to meet the nurses and hear about the patient experience. There are huge advantages in patients being treated as close as possible to their home and I very much welcome that some local residents can receive help locally without having to journey to Guildford. In doing so they are also supporting the NHS in maximising its capacity – I am keen to see the model extended to benefit more local patients.”

Judy Kennedy, patient, added:“Compared to being in hospital, it’s just so different, so different. It just feels mentally so much lighter. I don’t need to psych myself up to go to hospital or to try and find a parking space or to negotiate the M25. I can pick up my daughter from nursery straight after treatment and be in the park having a Mr Whippy. I’ve got stage 4 incurable cancer. Time is everything. Having a day back every 3 weeks is amazing, you know. It’s what money can’t buy.”

Valerie Cottington, patient, said:"It’s marvellous, I come, there’s no waiting, and it takes 5 minutes and then I’m off. It’s changed my life because I’ve sort of got my freedom back, I don’t see it now as having treatment. I just see it as coming along, quick injection, and off I go."

Jillian Edmonds, patient, commented:"For me, this takes a lot of the pressure off, so I haven’t got the worry of parking, the staff are brilliant, I can’t say any more, but this unit is desperately needed, everywhere.”