Gloucestershire Royal and Cheltenham General Hospitals

29/04/2026

We’ve updated our cancer services website pages to make it easier for you to find the information and support you need.

The pages now include clearer information on the types of cancer we treat, the treatments available including Radiotherapy and Systemic Anti-Cancer Therapies (SACT) and what you can expect during your care and appointments.

We worked with patients and patient groups to help us organise and improve the information provided, so it better reflects what matters most to people using our cancer services.

💙 Since December, we’ve also been running an on-page survey to gather feedback. We’re very grateful to everyone who has taken the time to share their views and help us continue to improve the information available.

A key update this month is that contact details for our Cancer Clinical Nurse Specialists (CNS) and Cancer Support Workers (CSW) are now available in one place, as well as on individual service pages.

👉 Explore the updated cancer information here: www.gloshospitals.nhs.uk/cancer

👉 Find CNS and CSW contact details here:
http://www.gloshospitals.nhs.uk/cancer-contacts

29/04/2026

📢 Important update for patients attending Systemic Anti-Cancer Therapy (SACT) appointments

Some patients may be asked to attend the Mobile Cancer Care Unit (MCCU) instead of Avening Ward at Cheltenham General Hospital for their Systemic Anti-Cancer Therapy (SACT) appointments.

The MCCU is a purpose-built mobile unit supported by the national cancer charity Hope for Tomorrow bringing cancer treatment closer to home. You’ll receive the same high standard of care from our experienced oncology teams, in a calm, welcoming environment.

👉 Practical benefits often include easier parking, shorter walking distances and more convenient drop-off/pick-up for carers and family.
👉 Decisions on where you receive treatment are based on factors like your location and the level of clinical oversight you need, helping us manage capacity so every patient gets timely, appropriate care.

If you have any questions or concerns about your appointment location, please speak with your treatment team. They are happy to help and ensure you feel fully supported.

More: https://ow.ly/pjNb50YfiBw

28/04/2026

Experience of Care Week (27 April – 1 May 2026) 💙

This year’s theme, Building the Foundations of Experience, reminds us that every interaction matters. From first appointment to beyond discharge, each moment shapes how patients, families and colleagues experience care.

Patient experience is at the heart of everything we do. Listening to feedback allows us to learn, improve and design services that truly meet people’s needs.

Patients, carers and communities hold invaluable insights that help us improve care, strengthen trust and focus on what matters most.

💬 Read real patient stories on our website: https://www.gloshospitals.nhs.uk/your-visit/patients-visitors-and-carers/patient-stories/

💬 And if you’ve experienced care with us, share your story: https://ow.ly/q12450YRbFi

27/04/2026

27/04/2026

🚧 Building Works and Accessible Parking ♿

You may have noticed ongoing building and maintenance work at both hospital sites. At times, this may affect parking bays, including accessible spaces.

There are many alternative accessible parking spaces around our sites, which are marked on our maps: https://www.gloshospitals.nhs.uk/maps

If a designated accessible space is not available, blue badge holders attending an appointment or visiting a patient can park in any available bay for the duration of their visit, as long as a valid disabled parking permit is displayed. The permit holder must be the driver or a passenger in the vehicle.

👉 Please remember that double yellow lines must not be used, and 20-minute drop-off bays should be respected and used within the time limit.

Thank you for your understanding while we carry out these essential works.

26/04/2026

Stroud Maternity Hospital is not closing, and there are no plans to close it. The Birth Unit remains open.

As a Trust we have a responsibility to consider how maternity services are provided for all of Gloucestershire.

Over the past six months, we have been working to safely reinstate the home birth service across the county and to also reopen the midwife‑led Cheltenham Birth Centre.

Taking an evidence-based approach, a recent assessment of the changing needs of women across Gloucestershire shows how demand for services and the nature of that demand has changed significantly over recent years. These changes are not unique to Gloucestershire and are replicated across the country, and we must take into account when considering how services are provided, how staff are trained to provide the best care possible.

That is what our work is about, finding ways to reopen maternity services we have had to close for safety reasons, so that the choice of a midwife led birth provided in Stroud, is also available elsewhere in Gloucestershire.

We recognise the temporary changes to home birth were deeply frustrating, and we want to thank women, birthing people and our maternity staff for their continued patience and understanding so that maternity services can reopen safely for everyone, no matter where they live in Gloucestershire.

26/04/2026

🚨 Do you have an urgent, non-life-threatening care need?

Think NHS 111 first.

Call, go online, or use the NHS App to be assessed and directed to the right care.

Let’s keep A&E for emergencies. 💙

👉 https://111.nhs.uk/

25/04/2026

If you need urgent medical help but you're not sure where to go, use 111 to get assessed and directed to the right place for you. Call, go online or use the NHS App.

➡️ nhs.uk/111

24/04/2026

✨ Have questions about birth?

If you are over 28 weeks pregnant, join our local midwives online for a relaxed session to talk about birth and what to expect 🤝

🆓 Free session
💻 Online

Register your place here: https://ow.ly/ZXQC50YMoSr

23/04/2026

More than just jobs 🌟

Join a united NHS team that supports our communities and one another. Whether you work directly with patients or behind the scenes, your role helps us deliver outstanding care.

👉 View our latest vacancies: https://careers.gloshospitals.nhs.uk/current-jobs/

22/04/2026

On , find out how a greener, faster path to hand surgery is transforming care for patients 🌱

Our new GreenHand pathway is improving how we treat carpal tunnel syndrome, making care quicker, simpler and more sustainable for suitable patients. Carpal tunnel syndrome is a common condition that can cause pain, numbness and weakness in the hand. Traditionally, patients may need several hospital visits before receiving surgery.

With GreenHand:
✔️ Patients complete a simple digital assessment
✔️ Suitable patients are invited to a one-stop clinic
✔️ Assessment, examination and, where appropriate, treatment can happen in a single visit

For some patients, surgery can be carried out on the same day using a safe wide awake technique in a procedure room, avoiding the need for a full operating theatre.

The benefits include:
💙 Faster access to treatment for appropriate patients
🏥 Fewer hospital visits where possible
🌍 Reduced carbon emissions

If applied to around 972 patients each year, this approach could save over 63,000 kg of carbon emissions. This is roughly the same as the electricity used by more than 100 homes in a year.

Early feedback has been very positive, with patients valuing the convenience and speed of care. Full story: https://ow.ly/varn50YNT5g

22/04/2026

From December 2024 to November 2025, 2,250 people were diagnosed with bowel cancer across Somerset, Wiltshire, Avon and Gloucestershire. Nearly half were diagnosed at an early stage.

Bowel cancer screening is one of the most effective ways to detect the disease early. If you are aged 50 to 74, you will be sent a screening kit every two years. Please complete it. It could make a life-saving difference.

Almost everyone diagnosed at stage 1 will survive bowel cancer, but survival rates fall as diagnosis happens later. If you notice symptoms at any age, speak to your GP.

Early detection saves lives.