People across Swansea and South West Wales could benefit from faster access to specialist cancer scans closer to home thanks to a £15 million development at Singleton Hospital.
The Leader of Swansea Council has welcomed progress on plans for a new permanent PET-CT scanning facility, which will help more patients access advanced diagnostic services locally rather than travelling elsewhere in Wales.
Council Leader Rob Stewart visited Singleton Hospital to get an update from Jan Williams, Chair of Swansea Bay University Health Board, on the development.
The facility is being built at the South West Wales Cancer Centre in Swansea and will replace the current mobile PET-CT service that has been operating at Singleton Hospital since 2020.
The service has already helped reduce the need for many patients from Swansea Bay and West Wales to travel to Cardiff for specialist scans.
PET-CT scans help doctors detect cancer – and to a lesser extent brain and cardiac disorders – understand how far it has spread and decide on the most appropriate treatment. They can also help monitor how well treatment is working and identify whether cancer has returned.
For patients and their families, the new facility will mean more specialist services available closer to home, reducing the need for long journeys at what can often be a difficult and stressful time. It will also provide greater capacity to meet growing demand and support access to care across the region.
The development will expand the range of diagnostic services available in South West Wales, including scans for children, procedures carried out under general anaesthetic and specialist brain scans.
The PET/CT scanner is due to be installed into the new building during November 2026, with the first patients expected to be to be scanned in early 2027.
Cllr Stewart said: “This is a significant investment in cancer diagnostics for the people of Swansea and South West Wales and it’s welcome news for patients and their families.
“Having access to these specialist scans closer to home can make a real difference for people who are already facing challenging circumstances. It means less travelling, easier access to care and more support closer to family and friends.
“The South West Wales Cancer Centre at Singleton Hospital is an important regional service supporting communities across Swansea Bay and Hywel Dda, and this development will help ensure local people continue to benefit from modern healthcare and expert clinical care.
“This development is a positive step forward and strengthens the case for continued long-term investment in cancer services in South West Wales.”
Jan Williams, Chair of Swansea Bay University Health Board, said: “We were delighted to host Swansea Council’s leader Rob Stewart and chief executive Martin Nicholls at the exciting, new PET-CT Scanner Centre development at Singleton Hospital.
“Many people across Wales will experience cancer in their lifetime and it is important that everyone has equitable access to the latest technology, irrespective of where they live.
“This new facility will help people from across our community in Swansea and Neath Port Talbot along with Hywel Dda, Powys and Cwm Taf Morgannwg.
“We are very grateful to Welsh Government for their support to build this much-needed centre and we look forward to it opening in early 2027.”
The Welsh Government-funded development forms part of a wider programme to expand PET-CT scanning capacity across Wales.
