Thousands of patients will benefit from faster and safer cancer treatment thanks to new cutting-edge radiotherapy machines being rolled out to every region in the country and I’m delighted to see that Royal Preston Hospital features on the list of 28 hospitals set to receive a share of a £70 million government investment in these radiotherapy machines.
The tech is being prioritised in hospitals which are currently using outdated treatment machines older than 10 years, meaning patients can be treated faster and reducing cancelled appointments due to faults.
These new machines will:
- Cut waiting times – allowing for up to 27,500 additional treatments per year to be delivered by March 2027.
- Reduce hospital visits – leading to up to 4,500 patients receiving their first treatment for cancer within 62-days of referral.
- Target hard-to-reach cancers more precisely.
These new machines will be rolled out at hospitals across the country from August, as part of the government’s plans to improve cancer care through the Plan for Change.
