Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he will take to improve radiotherapy cancer treatment (a) capacity and (b) access.

The National Health Service continues its rollout of evidence-based, cutting-edge radiotherapy treatments, such as the highly precise stereotactic radiotherapy, which can target tumours and spare surrounding tissue. Due to its accuracy, patients require less frequent hospital trips compared to traditional radiotherapy. Other revolutionary treatments, such as proton beam therapy and hypofractionation, are also improving patient experience and clinical outcomes.

The 2021 Spending Review set aside £12 billion in operational capital for the NHS from 2022 to 2025, which local systems can spend on radiotherapy equipment, including linear accelerator machines. Reforms to the national Tariff are planned from 2024/25 to incentivise equipment replacement as well as the provision of cutting-edge treatments and best practice care.