Construction starts for new Cancer Centre

Tuesday, 08 November 2011 16:19

Media Releases - Kevin Anderson Media Release

25 October 2011 

Construction starts for new Cancer Centre

The first sod has been turned on construction works for the new $41 million New England North West Regional Cancer Centre. 

State Member for Tamworth Kevin Anderson is joining Federal Member for New England Tony Windsor at a ceremony in Tamworth today to mark the start of construction work for the new centre.

Mr Anderson said the new centre will enhance cancer services and care for the people of the New England and North West Region.

“The regional cancer centre is an exciting project and a major investment in the treatment of cancer patients,” Mr Anderson said.

“It means that cancer patients and their families can access essential services closer to home,” Mr Anderson said.

“Travelling to Sydney or Newcastle for radiotherapy services can be an enormous challenge for patients already under significant stress. For this reason sometimes patients will choose not to travel for treatment, this can have an adverse affect on their health outcome.”

The new centre will include a new linear accelerator for radiation therapy, as well as major radiotherapy planning equipment, including a new computed tomography (CT) scanner. Chemotherapy services will also be expanded at Tamworth and Armidale.

“This state-of-the-art centre means the region will be home to a first class cancer care.

Early site works for the new regional cancer centre have been completed and construction is due to start next week.

The project is stage one of the planned Tamworth Health Service redevelopment, with the Cancer Care Centre expected to be completed in late 2012.