A new centre for cancer and palliative care patients opens at Tavistock Hospital tomorrow (Friday).
Called the Triangle Centre, it will offer some of the services offered at St Luke's Hospice — with whose collaboration the facility has been set up.
These will be augmented by services provided by the MacMillan Cancer Support Centre.
Organisers believe up to 100 patients will benefit from the centre, which will be open on three Fridays a month and will be managed by Gill Davies, a sister at the hospice.
Gill said: 'The journey for patients to the hospice can sometimes be too much and so it made sense to bring hospice services closer to home.'
The hospice will provide the nursing and secretarial staff, a MacMillan information officer will provide advice to patients and families, and Dr Jenny Lovett will head two specialist palliative care clinics with a community MacMillan nurse.
Also available will be supportive listening and relaxation sessions, and in the future it is hoped to provide occupational therapy along with physiotherapy and lymphoedema sessions.
Sue Scrivener, the locality manager from Tavistock Hospital, said: 'I am delighted that we have been able to work together to provide a more locally based service.'