HC Deb 27 November 2000 vol 357 c473W
Mr. Cousins

To ask the Secretary of State for Health when it was decided that the Northern Centre for Cancer Treatment in Newcastle required replacement; how many radiotherapy cancer treatment machines were available at that time, and what their ages and downtimes were; how many radiotherapy cancer treatment machines are available; and what are their ages, and downtimes. [140537]

Yvette Cooper

During 1998 Newcastle and North Tyneside Health Authority formally consulted on the relocation of the Northern Centre For Cancer Treatment to Freeman Hospital in association with the timescale for completion of the remainder of the Newcastle strategic review.

In 1998 there were six linear accelerators in use. They were installed in 1984, 1988, 1990, 1992(2) and 1995. In 1998 their annual total downtimes ranged from 280 hours 33 minutes to 694 hours 34 minutes.

The same machines remain in service in November 2000. Downtimes for October 2000 ranged from four hours 38 minutes to 57 hours 39 minutes.