Supporting patients at the Paediatric Oncology department at the Royal United Hospital, Bath
February 2026
The Paediatric Oncology team at the Royal United Hospital is proud to be working in partnership with Bath Cancer Unit Support Group to transform and enhance our Children’s Centre facilities — creating a safer, more efficient and more welcoming environment for young patients and their families.
With your generous support, this fundraising campaign will help us deliver two vital improvements that will directly impact children undergoing cancer treatment.
Our goal is to raise £495.000 to complete this project. The NHS is unable to fund this project but fundraising for BCUSG will help us to provide Paediatric Oncology at the Royal United Hospital with the upgraded facilities identified by their team that will make a real difference for their patients.
Modernising the Drug Preparation Room
The current ward drug preparation room is no longer fit for purpose. The layout is poorly designed, with very limited clean surface space for the safe preparation of oncology medications.
This project will:
•Install modern storage units
•Streamline essential equipment
•Introduce new wall-mounted computer systems
•Create clear, dedicated preparation areas beneath digital prescriptions
These improvements will significantly enhance efficiency, safety and workflow — while boosting staff morale within the paediatric oncology department. Most importantly, it will ensure children receive their treatment in the safest possible environment.
Children undergoing oncology treatment attend hospital repeatedly over long periods of time. Sadly, this often means missed school days, disrupted family routines and reduced social time.
While we strive to provide timely treatment within the children’s ward, high inpatient numbers and acute illnesses can cause unavoidable delays. Oncology patients — who already face significant challenges — can sometimes experience postponed treatment as a result.
Most oncology treatments and supportive care admissions can be delivered safely in a dedicated day-bed setting. With your support, we aim to build:
•A new 3-bed Paediatric Oncology Day Unit
•A purpose-built drug preparation room
•Reconfigured nursing and reception bases to improve patient flow
This dedicated space will allow us to treat children more efficiently, reduce waiting times, and minimise disruption to their lives.
An additional and vital benefit is infection control. Many oncology patients are immunocompromised. Treating them in a separate day unit helps protect them from exposure to infections commonly present on inpatient wards.
Help Us Make This Vision a Reality
These improvements will transform the experience of children undergoing cancer treatment — and will also benefit all children attending the Royal United Hospital.
Your donation will help us create a safer, more efficient and more child-friendly environment where young patients can receive the care they need with dignity, comfort and minimal disruption to their lives.
Every contribution brings us one step closer to making this vital project a reality.
Work is planned to start on the project completely funded by Bath Cancer Unit Support Group every contribution you can make will bring the project one step closer to making this vital project a reality.
About Bath Cancer Unit Support Group
The origins of Bath Cancer Unit Support Group date back to 1979, when Shepton Mallet farmer Chris Norman learned that the cancer unit at the Royal United Hospital was at risk of being closed and relocated to Bristol. Determined to protect local cancer services, the charity was born.
Today, BCUSG is a small, local charity run entirely by volunteers. We exist to support cancer services at the RUH by funding:
● Life-saving equipment
● Enhanced facilities
● Patient comfort initiatives
● Essential services not covered by NHS funding
When you donate to BCUSG, you are supporting all of our projects — helping improve care for cancer patients across our region.
If you would like to find out more about this project and our charity, do a collection or a fundraising event for The Bath Cancer Unit Support Group please contact our fundraising lead Alan Webb on 07896 741 233 or you can email him at fundraising@bcusg.org