Northland to get $5m cancer treatment machine, but not yet

Northland is to get a $5 million Linear Accelerator, like this one at Palmerston North Hospital, to treat cancer patients, but the Government hasn't confirmed a date for the life-saving machine's arrival. Photo / Dave Murdoch / Bush Telegraph

Northland cancer patients may be spared a trip to Auckland for treatment with the Government looking at putting a radiation treatment machine in Northland.

The Government announced yesterday that cancer sufferers in Hawke's Bay, Taranaki and Northland will for the first time have access locally to radiation treatment without having to travel to bigger centres. It's a result of the Government's decision to replace half of the country's radiation machines in May's Wellbeing Budget.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Health Minister David Clark announced that tranche one of the Government's cancer plan will be to buy 12 Linear Accelerators (LINAC) machines over the next three years. The replacement LINACs will provide radiation treatment in more regions than ever before, ensuring improved treatment and fairer access to cancer care in the provinces.

However, there's no confirmed date for the LINAC to be placed in Northland - most likely at Whangārei Hospital - with the Northland and Auckland District Health Boards working together on the plan.

"A cancer plan that works has to be comprehensive and must include radiation treatment as well as pharmaceuticals and preventative measures. Radiation is an effective form of cancer treatment, and one in two people with cancer would benefit from its use. But in New Zealand only one in three are currently accessing these services. That's why we are making the single largest Government capital investment in it," Ardern said.

"We inherited long-term underfunding of our health system and aging radiation machines that don't do as good a job as new ones. This record capital investment in cancer care will make a real difference right across the country.

"The previous Government left it to cash-strapped DHBs to buy new radiation machines themselves. We are allocating resource to ensure 12 new machines, half of all machines in the country, are replaced over the next three years. This investment is also about ensuring people living in regional New Zealand can access high quality cancer care – and new technology is a big part of that.''

She said patients from Northland, Hawke's Bay and Taranaki are forced to travel to get the radiation treatment they need.

"We estimate that as a result of putting state-of-the-art LINACs into areas that have not previously had one, in future 1200 people each year will be able to access radiation treatment locally rather than travelling long distances,'' she said.

"Tranche one of our cancer response is a first step in reducing regional variations in cancer treatment. Tranche two will involve the release of the Interim Cancer Action Plan later this month.''

New LINACs will be installed this year at Auckland, Canterbury, Capital and Coast and MidCentral DHBs (2 machines). MidCentral is intending to locate a replacement LINAC in Hawkes Bay in 2020/21 and Taranaki the following year. The first five replacement LINACs, which will cost $25 million.

What is a LINAC?:
A medical linear accelerator (LINAC) customises high energy X-rays or electrons to conform to a tumour's shape and destroy cancer cells while sparing surrounding normal tissue. It features several built-in safety measures to ensure that it will deliver the dose as prescribed and is routinely checked by a medical physicist to ensure it is working properly.