Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Radiotherapy Linear Accelerator Machines

Tuesday 17 October 2023 · 2 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • The Government and NHS England invested 162 million between 2016 and 2021 to replace or upgrade around 100 radiotherapy machines.
  • Integrated care boards are responsible for meeting the health needs of their populations, including capital allocation.
  • 12 billion in capital funding was set aside in the 2021 spending review, with 76 million already invested in radiotherapy equipment.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Tim Farron Lib Dem Westmorland and Lonsdale
NHS
Context

The question arises due to concerns about the number of NHS radiotherapy linear accelerator (LINAC) machines reaching the end of their recommended lifespan in 2024.

Question

How many and what proportion of NHS radiotherapy linear accelerator (LINAC) machines will reach the end of their recommended lifespan in 2024?

Answer from Will Quince

The Government and NHS England are committed to ensuring cancer patients can receive high quality radiotherapy treatment. Between 2016 and 2021, £162 million was invested which enabled the replacement or upgrade of around 100 radiotherapy machines. Responsibility for investment in radiotherapy machines has sat with local systems since April 2022.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific number and proportion of LINAC machines reaching end-of-life in 2024 was not addressed.

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Q2 Tim Farron Lib Dem Westmorland and Lonsdale
NHS
Context

Radiotherapy UK asserts that to meet international standards, an additional 125 new linear accelerators must be commissioned.

Question

I am very grateful to the Minister for his reply and in particular for the offer of the meeting coming soon. Radiotherapy UK says that for us to even meet average international standards we must commission 125 additional new linear accelerators. Will he make the commitment to do that and, in doing so, ensure that rural and remote communities do not lose out by placing some of those machines in new satellite centres, such as the Westmorland General Hospital?

Answer from Will Quince

Integrated care boards are responsible for meeting the health needs of their individual populations, including capital allocation. The 2021 spending review set aside £12 billion in capital funding, and since 76 million has been invested in radiotherapy equipment. More investment is desired.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific commitment to commission 125 additional linear accelerators was not made.

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