A virtual tour of the Queen’s Centre has been created by a hospital oncology team to help people about to embark on life-saving cancer treatment.

Patients can ‘walk’ through the doors of the centre at Castle Hill Hospital and explore each area of the building from the café on the ground floor to the day unit, radiotherapy and corridors leading to the wards.

Stephen Miller, Business Manager for Specialist Services at the Queen’s Centre, said: “We are very aware that when patients come here for the first time, they can feel very anxious and vulnerable.

“It’s already a big shock to the system to be diagnosed with cancer and we’re trying to make it easier for people and let them see what to expect.”

Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust worked with York company Digifish and Apollo 3D, based in Otley, to create the virtual tour.

The building was filmed at dawn on a Saturday morning to give people an idea of the different departments, waiting rooms and treatment areas where they may be asked to go.

People can click on a “doll’s house” view or a floor plan to get a 360-degree view of each area just by clicking on the image. They can explore the different levels in the centre or move along the corridors.

The tour is now posted on the trust’s website after Stephen worked with trust Web Developer Bonnie Gray to create a designated area for the Queen’s Centre.

As well as using the virtual tour, people can also get information on services from chemotherapy and haematology to the Macmillan Chemotherapy Nurse Specialists, radiotherapy and the wards.

They can also watch videos of patients undergoing assessments and talking to staff so they have a better idea of what to expect.

Stephen said: “We put ourselves in their position to try and make it a better experience for them.

“We know that when you’re hearing all this information for the first time, you do take it in and understand it at the time but it can be so overwhelming and difficult to remember what you’ve heard.

“Supplementing the information we give patients through the website acts like an extra pair of eyes and ears so we hope that will reduce some of the anxiety people will feel as they prepare to come into the building for the first time.”