The Duke of York visited the Churchill Hospital in Oxford today to mark the opening of the new building.
The building, that includes an integrated Cancer and Haematology Centre, provides a base for many NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre projects.
Chairman of Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust, Dame Fiona Caldicott said: “We were absolutely delighted to welcome The Duke of York, to our hospitals today.
“Our staff, patients, fundraisers and volunteers all help to make the Churchill the fantastic hospital that it is, and we were very proud to be able to show His Royal Highness our new hospital building and the way in which research and education informs and improves our patients’ treatment.”
During his visit to the building His Royal Highness visited theatres where Professor Freddie Hamdy, who leads the Oxford BRC’s surgical innovation and evaluation theme, demonstrated robotic surgery.
His Royal Highness then met patients on the Jane Ashley Ward.
The Duke of York and the Lord Lieutenant of Oxfordshire Tim Stevenson were accompanied on the visit by Dame Fiona Caldicott, Sir Jonathan Michael, the Chief Executive of Oxford University Hospitals, and by Professor Andrew Hamilton, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford.
Following the tour of the building His Royal Highness was introduced to staff from the NHS and the University, and invited guests.
The Duke of York then unveiled a plaque commemorating the opening of the new building at the Churchill Hospital.
The Churchill Hospital is a centre of excellence for cancer services and medical and surgical specialties including renal and transplant, oncology, haematology, dermatology, haemophilia, infectious diseases, and chest medicine. It also incorporates OCDEM (the Oxford Centre for Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolic Medicine).
The new building was completed in 2009.