A sterile pharmacy unit has officially opened at Stevenage’s Lister Hospital, allowing injectable chemotherapy drugs to be made on site.

This means cancer patients visiting Lister or the Mount Vernon Cancer Centre in Northwood will see an increase in tailored chemo drug treatment in a more efficient manner, at a time when national aseptic capacity is limited.

The range of patient-specific products prepared at the unit will also allow patients to participate in more clinical trials.

Chief pharmacist Andrew Hood said: “It is vital we provide the best possible care to our cancer patients.

“The type of chemotherapy a patient has can change throughout their treatment, so having this unit allows us to quickly react and respond to how we treat our cancer patients. This will mean fewer cancellations and rescheduling, which is a huge reassurance for our patients and a priority for us.”