Hospital bosses have announced the arrival of a new cancer therapy coming to Derriford which they pledge will cut patient waiting times.

Plymouth University Hospitals NHS Trust (UHP) say the radiotherapy machine will be safer for patients and more precisely target tumours, causing less damage to surrounding healthy tissues.

The investment will provide a new linear accelerator machine offering radiotherapy as a vital role in the fight against cancer, given that one in two people developing some form of cancer in their lifetime and approximately half need radiotherapy treatment.

Chris Bowen, UHP radiotherapy services manager, said: “Our radiotherapy team remains dedicated to delivering the highest standards of care for patients in the Plymouth area but across the wider cancer alliance.

“This innovative technology ensures patients receive the most accurate and effective treatment available.”

Staff will also benefit from using the new machine to develop their knowledge and skills and improve safe, high-quality care.

Chris added: “The radiotherapy department remains at the forefront of cancer care, continually working to evolve its services in line with the latest developments in clinical practice and technology. This investment gives a massive boost to our ability to meet the challenge of fighting cancer and improving patient outcomes.”

The new machine, commissioned by NHS England, will iwill support the UHP’s ongoing replacement of ageing equipment, meaning that the advanced treatment is available to all radiotherapy patients at the hospital.

The hospital says that the new state-of-the-art system, will help improve the precision and efficiency of treatment delivery, reduce individual treatment times, and allow the hospital to provide approximately 700 additional radiotherapy treatments a year.