The long wait to end the misery miles for Herefordshire cancer patients needing live-saving radiotherapy treatments was officially ended this week, as health bosses decided to set up two new high-tech centres – one in Hereford and one in Worcester.
One satellite unit in each of the cities should be up and running by the end of 2012, at an estimated total cost of £6million – £2million capital to be spent on providing high-density concrete bunkers to protect staff and public from radiation from the new linear accelerators, and about £1million a year running costs.
It means the majority of Herefordshire’s cancer patients will no longer have to make the long trip to Cheltenham to receive radiotherapy treatment there.
Simon Hairsnape, chairman of the Three Counties Cancer Network, and a former chief executive at Herefordshire Primary Care Trust, said: “This is the first development of its type anywhere in the UK, and although it’s taken some time to achieve, it’s worth remembering that three or four years ago the money would have to be spent in extra facilities at Cheltenham.
“The delay gave us time to consider satellite units and allow this to happen. It would have had about a one in four chance of success four years ago. It’s a good decision.”
But Cheltenham has not been left out of the picture, as the Network has agreed plans to install another linear accelerator there next summer.
Then, depending on how quickly the NHS Trusts responsible for the hospitals at Hereford and Worcester can provide staff and other facilities, the new units should be up and running by 2012.
Although the new Hereford centre will provide thousands of treatment sessions a year for the majority of patients who need a number over a set period of time, about 30% will still have to travel to Cheltenham – the only unit where the most specialist radiotherapy facilities are to be found.
But the average journey time for the remaining 70% of patients should be cut by half.
Simon added: “Space for the concrete bunkers has already been allocated in the plans for the new Macmillan Renton chemotherapy unit at Hereford County Hospital, so that means they are some way down the line in getting established.
“There will unbdoubtedly be challenges – but they are not unsurmountable.”
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