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Radiotherapy: Waiting Lists

Volume 471: debated on Monday 4 February 2008

To ask the Secretary of State for Health which areas will not be able to meet the December 2008 deadline for extending the 31-day standard to radiotherapy treatment as described in paragraph 4.8 of his Department's Cancer Reform Strategy. (175128)

The Cancer Reform Strategy (paragraph 4.8) set a deadline for extension of the 31-day standard of December 2008 for chemotherapy and surgery. The deadline for extension of the 31-day standard for radiotherapy is December 2010. This is in recognition of the length of time needed to increase radiotherapy capacity, for example building bunkers and purchasing and installing machinery. At present, we have monitoring systems only to capture achievement against the 31-day standard for first treatments, as this is the current standard. We do not currently have data for second and subsequent treatments but we are developing systems which will allow the capture of information on achievement of the standard for radiotherapy by area before the achievement deadline.