Welsh cancer services receive new slice of funding
 Cancer services in Wales are to receive £4.5 million of extra funding from the Welsh Assembly.
The funding is being made available in response to the recommendations of the recent Health and Social Services Committee’s Review of Cancer Services in Wales.
Dr Gibbons said: “Tackling cancer is a top health priority and I very much welcomed this review when it was published. I am pleased that today I am able to announce that the Assembly is providing an additional £4.5 million from 2007/08 to support the implementation of Designed to Tackle Cancer and the review’s recommendations.”
The funding will be allocated to each of the regional cancer networks. Decisions on how best to use the allocation in direct support of the network action plans and achievement of the National Cancer Standards will be made by local health boards and Health Commission Wales.
But one Welsh manager has voiced concerns that the funding allocated will not enough to make a significant difference to departments. Glan Clwyd Hospital's radiotherapy manager, Nest Bowl, commented: “This is a welcome first step in moving forward with the overall cancer plan for Wales, but there will need to be considerable further investment over the next 10 years to meet the projected requirements and developments.”
The news of the additional funding came as radiotherapy workforce requirements up to 2016 were being discussed by the Cancer Services Co-ordinating Group Wales.
The group provides advice to the Welsh Assembly on co-ordinating cancer services and includes representatives from the Cancer Services Collaborating Group, the Welsh Assembly, as well as therapeutic radiographers and cancer network leads.
SoR professional officer for radiotherapy, Charlotte Beardmore, was in attendance. She said: “This was an excellent event bringing together all key staffing groups within the service, with both workforce planners and educators present to discuss future skills mix requirements to meet radiotherapy service needs.
“It mirrored the very successful event held by the National Radiotherapy Advisory Group in England last year.”
Back | Top
|
