- £200 million of new funding for state-of-the-art, MRI, CT and
breast cancer screening machines
- Diagnosis and quality of care for cancer patients will
improve dramatically
- Priority will be given to replacing the oldest machines with
new, cutting-edge technology
Cancer patients will see a significant improvement in diagnosis
and treatment, after the Prime Minister announced a new NHS cash
injection to replace MRI machines, CT scanners, and breast
screening equipment.
The £200 million of new funding is part of the Government’s
commitment to ensure 55,000 more people survive cancer each year.
It will provide over 300 diagnostic machines in hospitals across
England. The new equipment will improve the quality of screening
and speed of diagnosis, with doctors finding the machines more
effective and easier to use.
The Prime Minister has made getting funding directly to the NHS
frontline his priority since taking office. An extra £2 billion
has already been committed, including to upgrade 20 hospitals
across the country and for new equipment and AI research.
The Government has also recently announced another £210 million
will be invested in frontline staff, including a personal
training budget of £1,000 for every nurse. This is on top of the
extra £33.9 billion every year to be invested in the health
service by 2023/24.
Prime Minister said:
“The NHS is the best healthcare service in the world, and
the treatment and care it provides is one reason cancer
survival rates are at a record high.
“But too many lives are still being lost to this shattering
illness. We can, must, and will do so much more for sufferers and
their families.
“These new scanners will lead to quicker diagnosis, more
screenings, and improved care for patients, giving brilliant NHS
staff the tools they need to further boost survival rates.
“It’s my priority to make sure our NHS gets every penny it needs
to provide the very best care - wherever you live, and whatever
your condition.”
Health Secretary, said:
“I want to see the way we fight cancer in the NHS transformed, so
we can confront this cruel disease with the best facilities to
give our family, friends and colleagues the greatest chance.
“I’m determined to get cutting-edge equipment into hospitals
across the country so that clinical staff are equipped with the
best technology available for patients.
“This will be the first step in reaching our ambition through the
NHS Long Term Plan of becoming a global leader in cancer
diagnosis, saving the lives of tens of thousands more people each
year.”
The new machines, which will be given to over 80 Trusts across
the country, will:
- Improve efficiency – newer machines are easier to use, they
scan and construct images quicker, and reduce the need to
re-scan. The capability for much faster reconstruction and image
processing, better image quality, and a greater storage capacity
for images improves processing and diagnosis times.
- Lower radiation levels which will improve patient safety –
newer CT scanners have a dosage reduction of 80-90%.
- Significantly improve reliability, and will reduce ‘downtime’
meaning greater capacity, resilience and better use of staffing
resource with fewer cancellations.
- Offer different types of scans, which will enable more
patients to be seen using less equipment.
- The machines will be AI enabled, to ensure they are AI ready
when an update is available.
Cancer survival rates are already at a record high, but the
Government is determined to do more.
Through the NHS Long Term Plan, we committed to diagnosing three
quarters of cancers at an early stage by 2028 through improved
screening processes.
This will have a dramatic effect on survival rates – as patients
diagnosed at stages 1 or 2 have the best chance of long-term
survival – and is key to seeing 55,000 more people survive cancer
for five years each year.
Additional CT capacity will help identify cancers more quickly
through screening, pick up a range of other health conditions,
such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and help reduce
inequalities in cancer outcomes.
To support earlier diagnosis, the NHS is also introducing rapid
diagnostic and assessment centres, helping to detect cancer in
people with a range of symptoms like unexplained weight loss and
abdominal pain.
Allocation of the new machines will be based on an assessment of
local infrastructure and local population need, and the funding
will be split across two years.
Public Health Minister said:
“Any cancer diagnosis is a life-changing event. But the earlier
you receive a diagnosis, the better your chances of survival.
“While survival rates are at a record high, we are committed to
doing all we can to detect cancers earlier. This new screening
equipment will deliver faster and safer tests and ultimately help
tens of thousands of people live years beyond a cancer
diagnosis.”
