§ Gregory BarkerTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what representations his Department has received concerning the replacement linear accelerators that have been in service for 11 years or more; [75756]
(2) what representations his Department has received concerning the cost of replacing sub-standard radiotherapy equipment in use within the NHS; and what the cost is for each NHS health authority; [75764]
406W(3) what linear accelerators are due for replacement within the next 12 months, broken down by health authority; and how many years they will have been in service when replaced; [75758]
(4) what representations his Department has received concerning sub-standard radiotherapy equipment in the NHS; and what steps are being taken to ensure that radiotherapy equipment is (a) monitored and (b) maintained, and that machines identified for replacement are decommissioned and replaced when necessary; [75762]
(5) what linear accelerators have been replaced since the introduction of the NHS Cancer Plan broken down by health authority; and how many years they had been in service when replaced; [75757]
(6) if he will state, by health authority, the linear accelerators that (a) have been in service for more than 11 years, (b) the total number of years that they have been in service, and (c) the date that they are due for replacement; [75759]
(7) what representations his Department has received concerning the state of radiotherapy equipment within the NHS; [75767]
(8) what representations his Department has received concerning the number of linear accelerators in need of renewal within the NHS; and if he will list the NHS health authorities they belong to. [75763]
§ Ms BlearsThe age of each linear accelerator in service in the National Health Service in January 2001 was published at www.canceruk.net. This lists each linear accelerator installed in the NHS along with the dates when each machine was commissioned. This database is expected to be updated in the next few months and will provide comprehensive details of equipment installed since the introduction of the NHS Cancer Plan, including those provided under the new opportunities fund cancer initiative.
The criteria for replacement of radiotherapy equipment will take into account age and whether spare parts can still be supplied by the original equipment manufacturer. There is no formal recommended replacement age for linear accelerators within the NHS in England. Older equipment is capable of delivering safe and appropriate treatment to many cancer patients. Careful maintenance can ensure that radiotherapy equipment can remain in service for periods in excess of 11 years and this is reflected in the age of some machines identified in the survey. It is recognised however that equipment older than 11 years may not be capable of providing the latest treatment techniques.
Standards regarding maintenance and safety of equipment are high in the United Kingdom and these are met by a combination of local scientific and technical staff and manufacturers providing servicing and quality assurance systems.
The Department is aware of the high cost of radiotherapy equipment and has initiated a number of central purchasing initiatives designed to exploit economies of scale. The new opportunities fund, 407W announced in September 1999, funded 42 replacement and 15 additional linear accelerators. The NHS Cancer Plan, published in September 2000, made a commitment for a further 20 replacement and 25 additional linear accelerators to be installed in the NHS by 2004. My
Strategic Health Authority Trust Installation date Avon, Gloucestershire & Wiltshire Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Trust 1993 Avon, Gloucestershire & Wiltshire United Bristol Healthcare NHS Trust 1998 Bedfordshire & Hertfordshire West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust 1991 Birmingham & the Black Country University Hospital Birmingham NHS Trust 1991 Greater Manchester Christie Hospital NHS Trust 1987 Hampshire & Isle of Wight Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust 1990 Kent & Medway Maidstone & Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust 1994 Norfolk, Suffolk & Cambridgeshire Addenbrooke's NHS Trust 1994 North Central London Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust 1990 North Central London University College London Hospitals NHS Trust 1983 Northumberland, Tyne & Wear The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Trust 1991 Northumberland, Tyne & Wear The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Trust 1992 Northumberland, Tyne & Wear The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Trust 1993 Shropshire & Staffordshire North Staffordshire Hospital NHS Trust 1992 South East London Guy's & St Thomas' NHS Trust 1990 South East London Guy's & St Thomas' NHS Trust 1993 South Yorkshire Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust 1990 Southern West Midlands South University Hospitals Coventry & Warwickshire NHS Trust 1993 Thames Valley Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals NHS Trust 1991 Trent Nottingham City Hospital NHS Trust 1993 Final equipment costs are dependent on local circumstances such as equipment specification and are subject to commercial confidentiality. It is therefore not possible to provide accurate costs by individual strategic health authority.