Thousands of cancer patients across the UK are set to benefit from faster, more precise treatment thanks to a major upgrade in NHS radiotherapy equipment. From August, 28 hospitals – including those within the Royal Berkshire and Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trusts – will begin receiving state-of-the-art linear accelerator (LINAC) machines, as part of a £70 million government initiative to modernise cancer care.
These advanced machines will replace ageing equipment, some of which is more than a decade old. They are designed to more accurately target tumours while reducing the risk to patients and the chances of equipment failure, which has previously led to missed appointments. It's estimated that this upgrade could prevent around 13,000 cancellations each year due to breakdowns.
The Department of Health and Social Care expects the new technology to enable up to 27,500 additional radiotherapy treatments annually by March 2027. Of these, approximately 4,500 patients could receive their first cancer treatment within 62 days of being referred, helping to meet urgent care targets and improve survival outcomes.
This development follows the recent installation of 13 new bone density scanners, which will provide thousands more diagnostic tests each year. Government figures also show that over 3 million appointments have taken place since June 2024 as part of broader efforts to reduce waiting times and speed up diagnoses.
