New England and North West Regional Cancer Centre

The total value of the project was $41.7 million, funded by the Australian Government ($31.7 million) and the NSW Government ($10 million).

The New England and North West Regional Cancer Centre (North West Cancer Centre) project involved the construction of a new two-storey cancer centre totalling approximately 3,300 square metres, to provide radiation oncology, medical oncology and clinic spaces and services. 

The project commenced in late 2010. The New England and North West Regional Cancer Centre and the patient and carer (Inala House) building was completed in December 2012. 

Benefits

Key benefits of the project included: 

• enhanced delivery of, and improved access to existing and new multi-disciplinary cancer care services
• addressing the essential service gaps in the continuum of cancer care
• increased patient treatment rates to the national benchmark level
• improved quality of life for patients, by reducing family life disruptions, reducing distress and disability associated with having cancer, and improving accessibility, equitability and affordability of radiotherapy treatment services
• improved networking of services to tertiary and quaternary hubs, along with networking with the smaller rural towns of Moree, Armidale, Narrabri, Gunnedah and Wee Waa
• providing the opportunity to create a centre of excellence in radiation oncology to attract and retain staff in a regional setting in a new facility. 

Scope

The project delivered: 

• two bunkers with one linear accelerator
• enhanced and expanded outpatient chemotherapy services - increased from 7 to 11 treatment spaces at Tamworth and from 4 to 6 treatment spaces at Armidale
• cancer outpatient and consultation clinics, and cancer clinical trial centre
• patient and carer accommodation
• thirty car parking spaces for cancer patients.