Cancer patients in Brighton and Hove can expect to be treated with new radiotherapy machines from next year.
Brighton hospital bosses have been given permission to replace outdated machines in the Sussex Cancer Centre with “state-of-the-art tomotherapy machines”.
The new machines will be installed at the Park Centre for Breast Care, in Preston Road, Brighton.
The move from the cancer centre in Eastern Road, Brighton, is part of the plan to clear space for the £420 million modernisation of the Royal Sussex County Hospital.
The modernisation is known as the 3Ts project, with the 3Ts standing for teaching, trauma and tertiary care.
Matthew Kershaw, the chief executive of Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust, which runs the Royal Sussex, said in a report to the trust board: “The NHS Trust Development Authority (TDA) has formally approved the final radiotherapy decant business case.
“A request to draw down over £6 million loan funding has also been submitted as part of the wider 3T application.
“Work is now progressing towards contractual agreement with the selected preferred bidder.
“The strategy for radiotherapy services was discussed and reaffirmed at the Hospital Management Board on (Thursday) 19 June taking into account current circumstances and recently published report on radiotherapy provision in the UK (Tavistock Institute for Cancer Research).
“The facility at Preston Park is expected be ready to treat patients using state of the art tomotherapy machines from March/April 2015, enabling the next steps to be taken at the Sussex Cancer Centre.
“Work is also progressing with business cases for satellite units based in East and West Sussex and the introduction of stereotactic radiotherapy as part of the strategy.”
In a newsletter to staff Mr Kershaw said: “The current reality across Sussex is that we do not have the radiotherapy capacity to meet the needs of our local population and the linear accelerators we do have, in the Sussex Cancer Centre, all need replacing.
“Our patients are clear they want local accessible services which is of course what we want to be offering, especially when you bear in mind that some of these patients need to attend the radiotherapy centre five days a week for up to seven weeks.
“We have now developed our clinical strategy to reflect the latest guidance and through this will improve cancer services across Sussex.
“This includes an aligned plan to work with our neighbouring trusts to establish linked radiotherapy centres in East and West Sussex and upgrade our own linear accelerators.”
He said that it was “excellent news” that funding for the first phase of this plan has been agreed.
Mr Kershaw added: “This will allow us to install two state-of-the-art tomotherapy machines in the Park Centre for Breast Care.
“The next phase is to agree the funding for linked radiotherapy units at Chichester and Eastbourne so that we can significantly reduce patient journey times.”
He quoted the opening paragraph of the Tavistock Institute report which said: ““Radiotherapy is an essential cancer treatment that experts suggest contributes to four in ten cases where cancer is cured.
“It is a relatively cheap, safe, cost-effective treatment that is associated with high levels of patient satisfaction.
“Yet the radiotherapy service does not get the attention it deserves and is underfunded compared to other cancer treatments.”
Mr Kershaw has answered a number of questions on the subject, many from John Gooderham, a tireless campaigner for improved radiotherapy services.
Mr Gooderham was the vice-chairman of the West Sussex Link (Local Involvement Network) before it was replaced by the new patient watchdog known as Healthwatch.
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