About Us
The Christie is one of Europe’s leading cancer centres, treating over 40,000 patients a year.
We are based in Manchester and serve a population of 3.2 million across Greater Manchester & Cheshire, but as a national specialist around a quarter of our patients are referred to us from other parts of the country.
We provide radiotherapy through one of the largest radiotherapy departments in the world on our main site in south Manchester and at The Christie at Oldham radiotherapy centre which opened in March 2010; chemotherapy on site and through 14 other hospitals; highly specialist surgery for complex and rare cancer; and a wide range of support and diagnostic services.
We are also an international leader in research, with world first breakthroughs for over 100 years. We run one of the largest early clinical trial units in Europe with over 300 trials every year. Cancer research in Manchester, most of which is undertaken on the Christie site, has been officially ranked the best in the UK.
Before Christmas 2010 we will open our new £35 million patient treatment centre which will be home to the largest early clinical trials unit in the world, an expanded chemotherapy facility and a new private patients suite to increase income for our NHS services. As part of our ambitious plans we are also building a network of Christie radiotherapy centres in other areas to bring treatment closer to people's homes - the first £17 million centre in Oldham in March 2010.
The second centre opens in Salford in summer 2011 and will also be equipped to deliver stereotactic radiosurgery, a highly specialised neurosurgical technique for brain cancers - making it one of only a handful of such centres in the UK. Currently patients from Greater Manchester have to travel to Sheffield for this treatment.
Our charity is the second largest hospital charity in the country. Over 20,000 supporters 2,000 fundraisers help bring in £13 million a year which helps fund our research and additional patient services.
Over the last few years we have launched the nationally applauded Manchester Versus Cancer alliance to improve the early diagnosis of cancer, and helped launch the Manchester Cancer Research Centre in partnership with The University of Manchester and Cancer Research UK.
We are also one of seven partners in the Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, which was established to underpin the development of Greater Manchester as a world leader in health research.
In 2010 we agreed a £14 million joint venture to develop a new private patient cancer centre with HCA International Limited to increase income for our NHS developments.
Wide range of cancer services
We provide specialist surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, palliative and supportive care.
As one of the largest radiotherapy departments in the world we deliver over 81,000 radiotherapy treatments a year. We also annually deliver over 34,000 outpatient chemotherapy treatments and 6,600 inpatient chemotherapy stays. Additionally we undertake around 3,700 surgical operations every year. We are one of only two hospitals in the country offering surgical treatment for patients with pseudomyxoma - a very rare type of cancer. Our young oncology unit is one of only ten dedicated teenage cancer units in the country and takes a national lead on teenage cancer issues.
Key player in Europe
We are a member of the Organisation of European Cancer Institutes (OECI) which provides a forum for discussion and agreement amongst the leading cancer centres in Europe as well as coordinating a number of specific projects.
The OECI is an important vehicle for taking forward the concept of comprehensive cancer centres in Europe. We are the first centre in the UK to be voted onto the OEIC as a member in June 2007.
Leading clinical trials unit
We also run one of the largest clinical trials units in Europe for phase I/II cancer trials, with around 1,200 patients going on new trials every year. When our new patient treatment centre opens, around 2,400 patients a year will be treated in the new clinical trials unit - double the number we currently treat.
Partner in the Manchester Cancer Research Centre
We are a partner in the Manchester Cancer Research Centre with The University of Manchester, Paterson Institute for Cancer Research and Cancer Research UK.
The Manchester Cancer Research Centre brings together the expertise, ambition and resources of our organisations and will be one of the world’s leading cancer research institutes by 2015.
Education
We have an education unit and training in all aspects of cancer, with plans to open a Christie School of Oncology.
Cancer Registry
We manage the North West Cancer Information Service (cancer registry) for the whole of the North West region.
Manchester Versus Cancer alliance
In partnership with the NHS, local authorities and supporters we have established the Manchester Versus Cancer alliance to help improve the early detection of cancer. Research shows that around 500 lives across Greater Manchester could be saved each year if local people went to their GP early with suspected symptoms.
History
We have achieved world firsts since the Christie was established in 1901. It was named The Christie in recognition of the pioneering work of both Richard Copley Christie and his wife Mary Ellen Christie. At this time there were 30 beds and 463 patients a year.
Foundation trust
We became a foundation trust on 1st April 2007. Foundation trust status brings us new freedoms to further develop our services and greater public accountability.
Funding
We have a total annual turnover of around £143 million. Most of this is from the NHS, together with income from private patients (around 8%), and from charitable and research organisations.
Staff
Around 2500 staff and over 300 volunteers work at the Christie.
Awards
Staff teams and individuals have won numerous awards for services and research over the years, and we were shortlisted for the Health Service Journal’s ‘Acute Healthcare Organisation of the Year Award 2008’.
Charity
We run the country’s second largest hospital charity in terms of fundraising, with more than 2,000 fundraisers and 20,000 supporters.
We benefit from the support of many organisations including the Manchester United Foundation. In 2010 Coronation Street announced we were among four charities the programme and cast had chosen to support during the show's 50th anniversary year. Our charity raises about £13 million a year from fundraising, donations and legacies.
