Many cancer patients 'miss out'

Radiotherapy is used to treat many forms of cancer

Cancer patients are missing out on treatment because radiotherapy machines are standing idle, the Tories say.

Guidelines state that such equipment should be carrying out 8,000 courses of treatment a year on average.

But Conservative research suggests the average for England is just 7,400 a year. This could mean 9,000 cancer patients a year miss out.

The party says this is due to a lack of radiographers, but the government says worker numbers have increased.

The Tories said workforce figures showed that nearly one in 10 radiographer posts was vacant, which meant equipment was not being used as much as it should be.

Since 2000, the NHS has made significant increases in both workforce and equipment for radiotherapy Department of Health spokeswoman

The National Radiotherapy Advisory Group, which advises the government, said that from May 2007 each radiotherapy machine should carry out 8,000 courses of treatment each year.

The Conservatives collected data from 39 of the 48 NHS trusts in England which operate over 200 machines between them.

Just 25 of the trusts were hitting the usage target, with the overall average for each radiotherapy unit standing at 7,400.

The 600 shortfall, if applied to the whole of the NHS would equate to about 9,000 patients, taking into account the fact that each patient receives 15 courses of treatment on average.

Shadow health secretary Andrew Lansley said: "Radiotherapy is vital to fighting cancer.

"If patients aren't getting the treatment they should be, then it's not surprising that cancer survival rates in this country lag behind European averages."

It comes as the NHS has been urged to increase its use of radiotherapy machines.

Workforce growth

The advisory group has recommended hospitals build on the 8,000 figure to achieve 8,700 courses of treatment by 2016.

A Department of Health spokeswoman said: "Since 2000, the NHS has made significant increases in both workforce and equipment for radiotherapy."

She added that NHS managers were now looking to review radiotherapy services to "ensure recommended levels of treatment" were achieved.

A spokeswoman for the Royal College of Radiologists admitted there had been problems with staff shortages.

But added: "The workforce situation is improving. The targets are ambitious but we are determined to meet them."