AM calls on WAG to back Radiotherapy Services for Mid Wales (Kirsty Williams AM )

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Kirsty Williams AM <info@kirstywilliams.org.uk>

AM calls on WAG to back Radiotherapy Services for Mid Wales

February 20, 2008 6:00 PM

Welsh Liberal Democrat AM for Brecon & Radnorshire Kirsty Williams today called upon the Minister for Health to support the siting of a satellite radiotherapy unit at Hereford Hospital to serve Mid Wales patients who currently have to travel to Cheltenham for treatment.

The 3 Counties Cancer Network, which provides cancer care to Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, South Worcestershire and part of Powys, is progressing an initiative to site a new radiology machine in the region. The current consultation is considering Cheltenham, Worcester or Hereford as the choices for the location of the machine; with a decision due this spring.

Kirsty Williams said:

"I have called upon the Minister to support the Hereford site, as it will not only benefit English patients but also the numbers of Powys patients who are currently having to travel to Cheltenham - for some this is a round trip of 180miles, often for days or weeks on end.

"It is already a very difficult time for these patients and it is important that this life-saving treatment is not made yet more stressful through long-distance car journeys. Some patients have refused treatment, or given up halfway through, because they simply could not face making this difficult and lengthy journey.

"A UK Government commissioned report last year found that cancer patients should not have to travel longer than 45 minutes for radiotherapy treatment. This should apply to Welsh patients as well as English ones and for this reason I have called upon the Minister to contribute to the consultation in favour of the Hereford site."

Notes:

The call for the Hereford site has been supported by the findings of independent cancer experts who carried out a study into the feasibility and implications of providing radiotherapy at the County Hospital. The study found that a single radiotherapy machine at Hereford Hospital was feasible if there was a guarantee of cross-cover from the Cheltenham centre. It was agreed that a second or third machine could be added at a later date, depending on the predicted increase of cancer patients needing radiotherapy in the future.

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