Work has begun to build a new radiotherapy planning CT suite at Torbay Hospital as part of a multi-million-pound investment to transform the way cancer care is provided.

From this summer, people waiting for a cancer diagnosis and treatment will be cared for at the new building, which will house a new state-of-the-art Radiation Therapy Computed Tomography (RT-CT) scanner.

The suite also includes a range of features to make patients’ experience as comfortable as possible, including improved changing facilities and toilets. There will also be LED ceiling light picture panels on the ceiling in the CT scanner room.

The £2.8 million investment in Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust’s radiotherapy service will allow the treatment team to use the images to plan radiotherapy.

Dr Nicole Dorey, consultant clinical oncologist and clinical lead for radiotherapy, said: “We know that beginning a course of radiotherapy can be an unsettling and worrying time for people and we hope our new CT scanner and suite will provide a better environment for people and help them to approach their treatment with confidence.

“Our new CT scanner will allow us to obtain high quality scans in a faster, more efficient way and ensure our radiotherapy team can continue to deliver and develop excellent care.”

Caroline Cozens, the trust’s director of capital development said: “This project will improve our patients’ comfort and overall experience as well as enable us to continue to provide a very high standard of care.”

The new radiotherapy building is being built through an extension into Hengrave car park.

Full information about the work and new routes is being shared with current patients before they attend their appointment.