THE new mobile chemotherapy unit, which will visit outlying towns, including Malton, has gone into operation this week.

The £700,000 unit - the first of its kind in Yorkshire - has been designed to treat patients who would otherwise have had to journey to the main hospitals in York or Scarborough, potentially saving hours of travelling time.

It contains four treatment chairs and is able to accommodate up to 10 patients a day.

Staffed by highly-trained specialist nurses and with dedicated parking, the unit will visit Malton to offer chemotherapy to patients who meet a number of criteria.

It will also visit Selby, Scarborough and Bridlington, which is due to be its first port of call this week.

Lizzie Walker, lead nurse in chemotherapy at the hospital trust, said that after weeks of preparing the unit for the road, there is “a real buzz” about getting the service underway.

It has been commissioned by charity York Against Cancer to serve patients of the York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.

Patrick Crowley, chief executive of the trust, said: “We hope patients with cancer throughout North Yorkshire will feel the benefits from receiving their treatment closer to home.

“York Against Cancer already provides some invaluable services for our patients and we are incredibly grateful that they have given us this opportunity.”

Professor Steve Leveson, of York Against Cancer, added: “It’s amazing that the whole project is going live less than two years since its inception.”

The unit has been donated as part of events to mark York Against Cancer’s 30th anniversary year and the charity has launched a £100,000 anniversary appeal to help support its running.

For more on York Against Cancer’s appeal to support this unit, go to yorkagainstcancer.org.uk/our-30th-anniversary-fundraising-campaign