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.
The government has paid for new linear accelerator (LINAC) machines at 28 hospitals, which use modern technology to reduce delays to treatment and, in some cases, could reduce the number of hospital visits a patient needs to make by half, helping to cut waiting lists faster, News Cover reports, citing UK government.
Replacing these older machines will save as many as 13,000 appointments from being lost to equipment breakdown.
The machines will be rolled out at hospitals across the country from August, funded by a £70 million government investment as part of its plans to improve cancer care through the Plan for Change.
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, helping to treat more cancer patients in faster time.
Equipped with cutting-edge technology, the machines are safer for patients and can more precisely target tumours, causing less damage to surrounding healthy tissues. They are particularly effective at targeting cancers in harder to treat areas, such as the chest, abdomen and pelvis.
