Albany radiation oncology service build to begin in May ready for patients in 2022

Construction of the main building of Albany’s first radiation oncology service will start next month, with Health Minister Roger Cook promising the long-awaited facility will be welcoming patients by the second half of 2022.

Mr Cook visited Albany Health Campus yesterday to announce BGC Construction had been awarded the tender to build the $13.1 million facility’s main building.

Work on the site in December included a realignment of the road and 70 new car parking bays in preparation for the service.

“This project is on time and on budget ... which will mean that around about 300 patients a year will not have to make the arduous journey between Albany and Perth to get their radiotherapy,” Mr Cook said.

Work will soon begin on the main building, a corridor connecting the facility to the hospital and more parking bays.

With construction of a specialised radiation bunker — known as a LINAC suite — still to come, Mr Cook asked the community to be patient.

“We are getting on it as quickly as we can. But it is a delicate and technical job and so we just want to make sure we get it right,” he said.

Mr Cook said he anticipated people from areas as far as Esperance and Kalgoorlie would eventually use the service, but said Albany patients would be the priority.