GenesisCare confirms Albany oncology centre expected to open in second quarter of 2023

The healthcare provider charged with running Albany’s new oncology centre has confirmed it is expecting to open between April and June. The confirmation provided by GenesisCare WA general manager Louise Coffey is the closest thing to an official opening date of the long-awaited centre. It comes after WA Country Health Service confirmed vital pieces of equipment at the centre were recently moved into place ahead of its practical completion, expected in “the coming weeks”. The cancer treatment service has been in the pipeline since 2017, when the Federal Government awarded $6.6 million to GenesisCare to buy radiation oncology equipment for an Albany service. In March 2019, the State Government pledged $13m to develop the facility at Albany Health Campus, bringing the total project cost to about $20m. Ms Coffey said the centre was expected to open in the second quarter of 2023. She said it would treat up to 400 patients a year once operational and as many as 45 a day. “Patients will have local access to personalised care and specialist consultation and treatment across many adult cancer types including breast, prostate, skin and metastatic disease,” she said. “Patients will only need to travel to Perth if they require specialised allied health care in a tertiary environment in conjunction with their treatment.” She said GenesisCare would have up to 12 staff based at the centre, with others providing support “either virtually or from the metro region as required in person”.