Cancer treatment delayed

Cancer patients are facing repeated changes to their treatment times at Palmerston North Hospital as four machines used to deliver radiotherapy keep breaking down.

The linear accelerators have between them been out of action for 84 hours from September into November, with up to three out of service at the same time.

Patients have had their appointments rescheduled many times, disrupting their lives, said cancer screening, treatment and support operations executive Cushla Lucas.

‘‘Everyone gets treated. We have been working 12- and 13-hour days. But people are becoming quite distressed.’’

Clinical executive Claire Hardie said no patient treatment plans were affected beyond frequent rescheduling.

Lucas said the ageing machines had become unreliable and were at the end of their useful lives. A business plan to start replacing them would be considered early in 2019.

The first two new machines, worth about $3 million each, would be based at Palmerston North Hospital.

Lucas and Hardie said the plan was to have them installed and working by the middle of 2019.

The other two machines were proposed to be based in Hawke’s Bay and Taranaki, as the regional cancer treatment service planned to provide cancer treatment closer to where people lived.

Lucas said it would take longer to establish buildings and support services for the regional outreach centres.

Hawke’s Bay was already starting to look at the building requirements for a bunker to house the machine and the other facilities.

The Cancer Society and Prostate Cancer Society have supported the move to provide cancer treatment in the regions.