West of Scotland Cancer Care Centre

Cancer care is complex, personal and highly specialised. Patients may need inpatient care, day treatment, imaging, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, clinical research support and access to specialist teams over extended periods of time. The project therefore needed to do more than provide capacity. It had to organise a complex clinical service in a way that supported efficient care while recognising the emotional and physical demands placed on patients, families and staff.

The 22,500 sqm centre provides 173 inpatient beds for oncology, haemato-oncology, bone marrow transplant and brachytherapy services, alongside 45 day-case spaces for chemotherapy. Specialist treatment and diagnostic accommodation includes seven linear accelerator chambers, CT and MRI imaging, clinical research facilities and supporting departments, creating a comprehensive regional platform for cancer care.

BMJ’s design response focused on bringing these services together in a clear, coordinated and patient-centred environment. The arrangement supports clinical adjacencies between treatment, imaging, research and inpatient care, helping staff work more efficiently while reducing unnecessary movement for patients. The project also included the reconfiguration of the existing imaging facility to make provision for two additional MRI scanners, strengthening diagnostic capacity as part of the wider cancer care pathway.

The centre was publicly funded and also received support from several charitable organisations, including Friends of the Beatson, Teenage Cancer Trust and Macmillan Cancer. This mix of public investment and charitable support reflects the importance of cancer care to communities across the region, and the need for facilities that support both advanced treatment and a more compassionate patient experience.

By consolidating specialist cancer services within a major regional centre, the project created a stronger foundation for integrated care, clinical research and specialist treatment. It supports patients through some of the most demanding moments of their lives while giving clinical teams the infrastructure they need to deliver complex cancer services at scale. The result is a significant healthcare project that continues BMJ’s long-standing work in specialist clinical environments and demonstrates how architecture can help organise care around people, pathways and purpose.