28 hospitals to get state-of-the-art radiotherapy machines, ministers announce

Cutting-edge radiotherapy machines will be rolled out in 28 hospitals across England to speed up cancer treatment, ministers have announced.

A £70 million Government investment will see linear accelerator (Linac) machines rolled out at hospitals across the nation from August.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting said the new technology would “free up capacity so that thousands more patients are treated on time”.

The Linac machines are being prioritised in hospitals where existing machinery is over a decade old.

The latest technology is safer for patients than older radiotherapy machines, and can more closely target tumours and cause less damage to health tissue.

The machines are particularly effective with harder to reach areas of the body, like the chest and pelvis.

The Department for Health and Social Care claims the new Linac machines could reduce the number of hospital visits patients have to make for radiotherapy treatment.

It says that by March 2027, up to 27,500 additional treatments per year will be delivered, including up to 4,500 receiving their first treatment for cancer within 62-days of referral.

Mr Streeting said: “There is a revolution taking place in medical technology which can transform treatment for cancer patients.

“But NHS hospitals are forced to use outdated, malfunctioning equipment thanks to 14 years of under-investment under the previous government.

“Thanks to the investment this Government is making in our NHS, we will provide more cancer patients with world-class, cutting-edge care.”

He added: “By reducing the number of hospital visits required and preventing cancelled appointments, these state-of-the-art radiotherapy machines free up capacity so that thousands more patients are treated on time.

“As a cancer survivor, I know just how important timely treatment is.

“These machines are part of the investment and modernisation that will cut waiting times for patients, through our plan for change.”

NHS national clinical director for cancer Professor Peter Johnson said: “Radiotherapy is essential for many cancer patients, so it’s great news that the investment in new machines means that some will need fewer rounds of treatment, as we bring in more sophisticated techniques.

“These machines will deliver more precise treatment for patients, which helps them to recover sooner, as well as enabling the NHS to treat people more efficiently as we continue in our efforts to catch and treat more cancers faster.”

Charity Macmillan Cancer described the announcement as an “exciting step forward for cancer treatment in England”.

Kate Seymour, head of external affairs at the charity, added: “Many people across the country are facing long delays for care but today proves that better is possible.

“Investment in cutting-edge technology is essential to bring down waiting times and help more people with cancer get the best care the UK has to offer, whoever and wherever they are.”

Shadow health secretary Edward Argar said: “This capital investment in new radiotherapy machines should be welcomed by everyone.

“It builds on previous investment in diagnostics by the previous Conservative government, with upgrades to provide more state-of-the-art new CT and MRI scanners. Today’s announcement mirrors this in treatments, with new equipment to improve access to radiotherapy after diagnosis.

“But ensuring an early diagnosis remains key to tackling cancer, being able to access the treatment these machines can provide, and to getting better outcomes for patients, so alongside investment in new kit, it is vital the Government reinstates the early cancer diagnosis targets they dropped recently.”

The 28 hospital trusts receiving an upgraded scanner are:

– Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust– Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust– Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust– United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust– University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust– Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust– Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust– Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust– The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust– Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust– Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust– The Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust– East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust– Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust– Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust– Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust– University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust– South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust– The Christie NHS Foundation Trust– Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust– Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust– Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust– The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre NHS Foundation Trust– University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust– Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust– University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust– Barts Health NHS Trust– Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust