New funding will be used to replace MRI machines, CT scanners and breast screening equipment, the Department of Health and Social Care has announced.
The £200 million of new funding is part of the government’s commitment to ensure 55,000 more people survive cancer each year. The new equipment will increase the quality of screening and speed of diagnosis, while the machines are more effective and easier to use.
‘The NHS is the best healthcare service in the world, and the treatment and care it provides is one reason cancer survival rates are at a record high. But too many lives are still being lost to this shattering illness. We can, must, and will do so much more for sufferers and their families,’ said Prime Minister Boris Johnson. ‘These new scanners will lead to quicker diagnosis, more screenings, and improved care for patients, giving brilliant NHS staff the tools they need to further boost survival rates.’
The new equipment will also pick up a range of other health conditions, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and help reduce inequalities in cancer outcomes. According to the Department of Health and Social Care, this will have a dramatic effect on survival rates – as patients diagnosed at stages 1 or 2 have the best chance of long-term survival.
Additionally, the NHS is also introducing rapid diagnostic and assessment centres, helping to detect cancer in people with a range of symptoms like unexplained weight loss and abdominal pain.
‘I want to see the way we fight cancer in the NHS transformed, so we can confront this cruel disease with the best facilities to give our family, friends and colleagues the greatest chance,’ said Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock.
‘I’m determined to get cutting-edge equipment into hospitals across the country so that clinical staff are equipped with the best technology available for patients. This will be the first step in reaching our ambition through the NHS Long Term Plan of becoming a global leader in cancer diagnosis, saving the lives of tens of thousands more people each year.’