Attending as a day patient

If you have a cancer of the blood you will be treated as a day patient on Ward 4B Bodley Scott Day Unit. Here you may receive chemotherapy treatments, blood and platelet transfusions, or undergo other procedures and tests, such as bone marrow test and apheresis (collection of blood cells). You will be given an appointment time for your visit to Bodley Scott Day Unit; please try to keep to this time.

If you have a solid tumour which requires chemotherapy and other types of supportive treatments or procedures, you will be treated on Ward 7A. You will be given an appointment time for your visit to Ward 7A; please try to keep to this time.

On arrival at the unit/ward, please report to the receptionist. The nurses or doctors will be happy to explain what will be happening to you during your visit.

The design of our day case facilities in the new cancer centre have been carefully thought through. For example, our chemotherapy rooms are located on the outside of the building for the best views of the City of London, and with a maximum of six comfortable chairs in each spacious room, you can have as much privacy as you need. Radiotherapy suites have light box art and thickly carpeted waiting areas.

You may be on the unit for several hours depending on the type of treatment or procedure, so you may find it useful to bring with you a book, paper, or personal music player. We provide sandwiches and drinks at lunchtime for patients, but you may wish to bring other snacks or drinks with you. You are welcome to bring a friend or relative with you for company and support, but please only one at a time, as there is limited room on the unit. Unfortunately we are not able to allow children under the age of 12 to visit the unit for safety and infection control reasons. If you or your visitor have any symptoms of a cold, please call ahead and discuss this with the nurse looking after you.

Some patients attending for planned chemotherapy may be asked to attend the day before their appointment in order to be assessed by a doctor and have blood tests. We aim to make this visit as short as possible. This system helps to reduce the amount of time you wait for your treatment to be prepared during the day of your chemotherapy treatment.

If you are feeling unwell at home, or while staying in the hostel, you will be asked to attend the day unit/ward to be seen by one of the doctors. Please come prepared to stay in hospital and bring with you your overnight bag if you are seen as an emergency on the day unit. Please call us, using the numbers below, before you leave so that we can discuss your concerns and to let us know you are on your way.

Useful telephone numbers

Ward 4B Bodley Scott Day Unit 020 346 55811 / 020 346 56780

Ward 7A 020 346 55656

If you are feeling unwell and would like to speak to someone between 7pm and 8am, or at weekends, please use the telephone numbers below.

Haematology (blood cancer) oncology patients treated at Barts Cancer Centre (usually on Bodley Scott wards) please call 07909 002671.

All other patients at Barts Cancer Centre having chemotherapy and radiotherapy for solid tumours can call 07917 093738.

In an emergency, it is important that you ring these hotline numbers as they are answered 24 hours a day by a senior member of the team.

Overnight accommodation

For patients who require ongoing daycare treatment but live too far away from the hospital, we offer free overnight accommodation in Gloucester hostel. Please click here for more details.