New Ward Manager for Hospital's New Macmillan Unit

7 March 2005

A nurse who has spent the last 17 years caring for cancer patients is returning to West Suffolk Hospital in Bury St Edmunds to become Ward Manager of the new Macmillan Unit.

Four and a half years ago Charlotte Hatton left her role as oncology/haematology nurse specialist at West Suffolk Hospital’s G1 ward for a new role as lead nurse for oncology/haematology at Southampton General Hospital. Now she¹s returned to Bury St Edmunds as Ward Manager of the hospital’s newly opened Macmillan Unit.

The new £2.1million Macmillan Unit opened three weeks ago and is an extension and refurbishment to the hospital’s G1 ward for cancer patients. The unit is a partnership between Macmillan Cancer Relief in Suffolk and West Suffolk Hospitals NHS Trust and treats people with cancer from across west Suffolk.

Charlotte, who lives in Newmarket, trained at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge working her way up to Staff Nurse on the oncology unit. After ten years she left to join West Suffolk Hospital.

Charlotte said: "It’s great to be back at West Suffolk Hospital, especially in the new unit. The unit is going to make a tremendous difference to the service we offer here for cancer patients."

Gilda Bass, Clinical Manager for Oncology and Haematology, said: "It’s lovely to have Charlotte back at West Suffolk Hospital. She is a highly respected and skilled nurse and just the person to lead our team here at the new Macmillan Unit."