Radiotherapy: Medical Equipment

(asked on 21st January 2020) - View Source

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of upgrading the NHS stock of Linear Accelerator radiotherapy machines to ensure that no machine is used beyond its recommended 10-year lifespan; and if he will make a statement.


Answered by
Jo Churchill Portrait
Jo Churchill
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
This question was answered on 29th January 2020

Currently no estimate has been made.

In October 2015, NHS England committed to investing £130 million to fund the modernisation of radiotherapy across England. This has ensured that older linear accelerators (LINACs - radiotherapy machines) being used by hospitals are being upgraded or replaced, giving cancer patients access to the latest leading edge technology regardless of where they live. Over 80 machines have been replaced or upgraded.

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