Funding welcomed for Regional Cancer Centre in Tamworth

9 April 2010

Hunter New England Health welcomes the Federal Government’s $31.6 million funding for a new Regional Cancer Centre in Tamworth.

Hunter New England Health Chief Executive, Dr Nigel Lyons said it has been a priority of the health service to expand cancer services closer to where people live in rural and regional areas.

“Statistics indicate that the instances of cancer will rise and that people receiving treatment for cancer will have better outcomes if they are treated close to home,” said Dr Lyons.

The Regional Cancer Centre will treat patients from the New England and North West regions of New South Wales including Tamworth and surrounding areas such as Moree, Armidale, Glen Innes, Narrabri and further afield. Patients who had previously travelled to Newcastle, Sydney, Coffs Harbour or Brisbane will be able to receive care at the new centre.

Along with treatment and diagnostic facilities, the centre will be first of its kind in the area to provide purpose built accommodation for carers of patients who need to travel.

“I would like to say thank you to the many Hunter New England Health staff from departments including Area Cancer Services and Population Health, Planning and Performance who compiled the comprehensive and successful submission. They should be congratulated on helping the Area Health Service take a major step in providing more services to people in the rural and regional communities,” Dr Lyons said.

Services delivered through the Regional Cancer Centre will network with the well-established Cancer Centres at Calvary Mater Newcastle and John Hunter Hospitals.
Hunter New England Health Acting Director of Cancer Services, Dr Tony Proietto said existing Area Cancer Clinical Networks in palliative care, radiation oncology, haematology, cancer surgery and psycho oncology will help facilitate services at the new centre, to improve the coordination of services and build staff capacity across the Area.
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“Hunter New England Health also has a digital network that enables x-rays to be sent digitally which will allow scans and other diagnostic imaging to be transferred throughout the network of cancer treatment centres with ease and speed.”
“The Regional Cancer Centre will form an integral part of Hunter New England Health’s cancer service delivery and will benefit cancer patients across the entire area - by providing patients in rural areas with treatment closer to home and improving the treatments currently available at existing cancer centres,” Dr Proietto said.
About the Tamworth Regional Cancer Centre

A new $41.6 million Regional Cancer Centre will be built on the grounds of Tamworth Hospital, to be operational in 2012-2013. The Federal Government is investing $31.6 million, with an additional $10 million from the New South Wales Government.

The Regional Cancer Centre will include:
• One linear accelerator (used for radiation therapy) and two radiotherapy bunkers at Tamworth
• An additional six chemotherapy chairs (four at Tamworth and two at Armidale)
• Major diagnostic equipment, including a new computed tomography (CT) scanner at Tamworth
• 14 additional accommodation places for rural and regional patients and their carers, based at the Tamworth Hospital campus.

Contact: Janelle Kelly

Phone: 4939 2602