Mobile cancer care unit launched for children and young people in the North West

A new way to deliver children’s cancer treatment is now live across the North West. Partners have launched a mobile cancer care unit that brings chemotherapy and supportive treatment closer to home.

The programme is led by the North West Children’s Cancer Operational Delivery Network (NWCCODN), working with Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital, Manchester NHS Foundation Trust and Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust.

The mobile unit is part of a pilot project delivered in partnership with the charity Hope for Tomorrow, which has provided the vehicle. It is funded by the three Cancer Alliances in the region: Greater Manchester, Cheshire and Merseyside, and Lancashire and South Cumbria.

The unit allows care teams to deliver treatment in local settings. This reduces travel time and helps children and young people spend more time at home, in school, and with their families. It also supports wider goals to deliver more care closer to home.

The model complements existing services delivered by Paediatric Oncology Shared Care Units and Children’s Community Nursing Teams. Teams will continue to work together to provide safe, coordinated care.

Hope for Tomorrow already runs a fleet of mobile cancer care units for adults across the country. This is the first time the model has been adapted to support children and young people.

Launch events have taken place across all three Cancer Alliance areas. In Lancashire and South Cumbria, teams marked the launch at Preston North End Football Club on 19 May.

This pilot marks an important step in improving access and experience for young patients and their families across the region and North Wales.