Hairy Biker Si King opens oncology unit at Hexham Hospital

TV star and Hairy Biker Si King was the special guest of honour invited to open the Oncology Day Unit at Hexham General Hospital today (October 14).

Si King with staff at the new oncology unit (Image: Natalie Finnigan) The purpose-built unit has been built as part of the hospital's ongoing redevelopment programme and will deliver high-quality, holistic, patient-centred care to the West of Northumberland.

In the previous unit, the service treated 365 patients between January and December 2023, issuing 7,348 prescriptions.

Si King opened the new oncology unit at the hospital (Image: Natalie Finnigan) Patients spend a lot of time on the unit receiving treatment and the need to provide an environment that is fit for purpose with more staff, increased clinical workspace and support services has become more evident over the last decade.

Si King said the unit is important because it will deliver a vital service to residents in rural Northumberland.

"The last thing you want to do if you live in rural Northumberland - it is a big county - is travel miles when you're not feeling very well. It's amazing that the call has been answered and this is a wonderful facility," he said.

"It's important to celebrate - and I know celebration and cancer aren't two words that sit together - but it's always important to celebrate centres, it is dealing with an awful disease that we all struggle with because we're faced with our own mortality and it's awful.

"But it's also a centre of excellence, knowledge, love, kindness and care. I think all of those things are important within the local community to highlight and say thank you because God forbid we have to come here as a patient. You're a very lucky person if cancer hasn't touched you in some way, whether it's yourself personally or someone in your family or friendship group that you love and care for. If they have that diagnosis, you want them to have the best possible care and that's what we have here in Hexham. That's why it is important."

Hexham's oncology unit treats patients from a broad geographical area as far afield as the Scottish borders, West to Carlisle, East to Ponteland and South towards Consett and the Durham borders.