First patient treated by new LINAC machine at Royal Shrewsbury Hospital
The first patient has been treated by a new linear accelerator machine (also known as a LINAC) at the Trust, which runs the county’s acute hospitals.
It is housed in a new bunker which was built as part of an extension to the existing radiotherapy area at Royal Shrewsbury Hospital (RSH).
The machine is a vital tool in the treatment of cancer, delivering high-energy X-rays or electrons precisely to the tumour every day, whilst minimising the radiation dose to normal, healthy tissue.
Helen Soanes who is having treatment for breast cancer said: “The new machine is a fantastic piece of equipment for the hospital and is going to help support many patients like me going through treatment.
“At every stage of my journey the staff and teams have been amazing – from having my mammogram to now nearly completing my treatment.”
The new LINAC is a replacement for a current machine, which is to be decommissioned, and will ensure patients continue to receive timely access to radiotherapy whilst minimising delays or disruptions.
It means that The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust, which runs the RSH and the Princess Royal Hospital (PRH) in Telford, is improving a patient’s access to treatment, ensuring that the patient’s appointment to treatment times are all connected and that they will receive the right care at the right time.
The project will mean that demand can be met, and it also ensures that patients receive timely services without facing delays or disruption.
Equipped with the latest technology the machine includes a six degree-of-freedom couch, enabling patient rotation to be corrected for, and surface-guided radiotherapy (SGRT), facilitating the Trust’s continued roll-out of tattoo-less radiotherapy whilst helping in patient set-up and monitoring of patient motion during treatment delivery.
Radiotherapy encompasses a wide range of cancer treatments, including prostate, breast, colorectal, head and neck, lung, and gynaecological cancers.
Dr Rick Sims, Head of Radiotherapy Physics, said: “The new LINAC is a state-of-the art machine which means that we can provide better care and treatment for our cancer patients.
“The new LINAC will help us to minimise disruptions, in addition to further developing and introducing advanced treatment techniques. The care of our patients is our priority and the machine and bunker ensures that we are treating them with the latest technology in the best environment.”
Dr John Jones, Medical Director at SATH, said: “The new LINAC and bunker is a fantastic investment for the Trust and our patients. It means that we have increased capacity to provide high quality treatment and it also creates a calming environment for patients at a stressful time.
“Our oldest LINAC will be decommissioned to make way for this model which features the latest technology and ensures that we ensure uninterrupted treatment services.
“We would like to thank the Estates, Radiotherapy and Medical Physics teams for all their hard work to enable us to provide this care.”
