A Teesside hospital is set to maximise its radiotherapy capacity and improve cancer waiting times thanks to a £750,000 funding boost.
The James Cook University Hospital is looking to recruit at least 10 new therapeutic radiographers following the confirmation of additional income from NHS Specialised Commissioning.
These additional posts will help its radiotherapy department to meet increased demand and staff its new Elekta linear accelerator (LINAC) machine.
Therapeutic radiographers match radiotherapy treatment plans to each patient’s body to ensure the tumour is treated while minimising the amount of exposure to surrounding healthy tissue. They are also trained to manage radiotherapy side effects, ensuring each patient has the best possible care throughout their hospital journey.
James Cook has seen a year-on-year growth in radiotherapy referrals with a 15.8% increase in demand since 2022.
Three of the LINACS have recently been upgraded – enabling the team to deliver targeted radiotherapy treatment with greater precision than ever before, but more staff are needed to ensure these can be used to maximum capacity.
The radiotherapy team provides 40,000 treatments a year to patients across Teesside and beyond, and this will increase further with the additional staffing.
Radiotherapy services manager Claire Huntley said: “This is fantastic news for our patients as it will help reduce waiting times and we will also have the ability to offer additional sessions when required.
“It is also a great opportunity for anyone looking to start or progress their therapeutic radiographer career to join a friendly, forward-thinking team who support patients through one of the most challenging periods of their lives.”
To find out more visit southtees.nhs.uk/services/cancer-institute/radiotherapy