WAITING times for cancer patients have been reduced dramatically thanks to new equipment.

Local people anxious about the killer disease are receiving faster diagnoses as a result of more than £5 million spent on new scanners and other equipment over three years.

New MRI scanners and a CT scanner have been installed at Royal Lancaster Infirmary, cutting waiting times from 11 months to under one month.

The new scanners can undertake a wider range of examinations, leading to faster decision making about the best possible treatment.

Funding has also been given to North Lancashire breast screening units to expand services to include women up to the age of 70.

Cancer Network director Joan Jackson says: "The new equipment has meant a radical improvement in the experience of people waiting to find out whether they have cancer, but we also want to speed up the waiting time for radiotherapy treatment."

Pearse Butler, chief executive of the Cumbria and Lancashire Strategic Health Authority, says: "The authority is committed to improving the care of people in our area with cancer, ensuring they have the fastest and most accurate diagnosis and the swiftest treatment. The new equipment is certainly helping us achieve our goal.

"For that reason we have submitted a bid to the Department of Health for two additional CT scanners and one MRI scanner for our area and are awaiting a decision."

February 13, 2003 09:00