More investment in faster cancer treatment
The Health Minister Tony Ryall has officially opened Capital and Coast DHB's new high dose brachytherapy* bunker for cancer treatment, this morning.
Mr Ryall says, "It has taken 10 years from when the DHB first said such a facility was needed to getting here today, so we are marking a significant effort from the staff who are dedicated to this demanding speciality."
"This new bunker means the brachytherapy service is no longer sharing a bunker with a linear accelerator cancer treatment machine. That set up meant only one of the two machines could be used at a time."
Mr Ryall also announced approval for the replacement of a linear accelerator (lineac) at Capital and Coast DHB.
"The new lineac will replace a machine that is 13 years old, and is part of the DHB's push to achieve the cancer treatment health target, where all patients referred for radiation oncology begin treatment within six weeks, and that is reducing to four weeks at the end of the year."
"It is not okay to have New Zealand patients waiting 12 weeks or longer for their treatment as they have done in the not so distant past - or for some patients to be forced to go to Australia for their cancer treatment because New Zealand did not have the available capacity. This Government is committed to doing better."
Tomorrow, Tony Ryall is in Christchurch opening the Canterbury DHB's new linear accelerator at the cancer centre at Christchurch Hospital.
The Minister's speech notes are available at: http://www.beehive.govt.nz/speech/opening+wellington+hospital039s+new+brachytherapy+bunker
Background
High dose rate brachytherapy is a type of radiation therapy in which radioactive seeds are passed into catheters that are placed directly into or near a tumour. The radioactive material or isotope is inserted for several minutes to deliver the required radiation. High dose brachytherapy has been proven effective and safe, providing a good alternative to surgical removal of prostate, breast and cervix cancers.