IT may still look like a building site but the view at Worcestershire Royal Hospital is set to be transformed as this long-awaited radiotherapy unit takes shape over the next few months.

Work on the £22.5 million state-of-the-art cancer treatment unit remains on schedule for the first patients to step through its doors before the end of 2014.

The unit will mean patients no longer face long journeys to Wolverhampton and Cheltenham for radiotherapy at a time when they are fighting for their lives against cancer, and it is expected to save about one million miles of travel every year.

As the construction schedule steps up, hospital visitors are being warned of potential disruption to the hospital site and car parks.

Steve Lloyd, interim director of estates for Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, said everything possible is being done to minimise disruption for patients and visitors.

“We have plans in place for traffic and pedestrian controls,”

he said.

“We will also vary the times of deliveries and works to avoid peak times for patients, staff and visitors.

“I would like to reassure people that all hospital services will be available as normal during these works, but we ask patients and visitors coming to the hospital to take extra care and to follow direction signs provided.”

Utility supplies are now being installed which will lead to some disruption to the south car park, roads and footpaths at the main entrance to the hospital site.

Steel deliveries are scheduled to start on Monday, and with 250 tonnes being delivered this is expected to cause delays for traffic on the main hospital access road.

The installation and delivery work are due to be completed by the end of September but will be followed by further deliveries of bricks and other building materials into the winter.

Chief executive Penny Venables said any disruption would be worthwhile.

“The new radiotherapy unit is an exciting construction project that will enable us to offer a centre of excellence for cancer treatments, not just for patients in Worcestershire, but also from surrounding areas.”