NNUH selected as host for East of England Radiotherapy Network
NNUH has been selected to become the new host organisation of the East of England Radiotherapy Network, one of 11 national networks for this vital cancer treatment. The initiative is jointly headed up by the East of England Cancer Alliance and NHS England’s Specialised Commissioning group. The new network will cover all of East Anglia – an area comprised of six Sustainability and Transformation Partnerships (STPs), 19 acute hospitals and a population of approximately six million people.
The Radiotherapy Network will aim to make patient access to services equal, so anybody requiring treatment at any hospital providing radiotherapy services in the area will have the same experience, receive the same high quality treatment and have that treatment delivered within the same timescale. The network will also look to increase participation in clinical trials and promote access to the latest available technology and technological advancements, as well sharing learning and experience from the world leading radiotherapy departments in East Anglia.
NNUH was chosen as host after a competitive bidding process. The Chief Executive-sponsored bid was approved by the East of England Cancer Alliance and NHS England Specialised Commissioning on the basis of NNUH’s strong track record in hosting transformation projects and budgets and having a well-developed and respected radiotherapy service.
Once the network – which will consist of experienced professionals from radiotherapy centres across East Anglia – is operational, the East of England Radiotherapy Network Project Team will be based at NNUH and will work closely with the Cancer Alliance and NHS England. There will be an inaugural engagement event on Tuesday 14 May for the region’s radiotherapy professionals and stakeholders, so that a collective vision and work programme can be established that will be co-ordinated by the NNUH-based team.
NNUH has become one of the country’s leading cancer centres in recent years. Over the last 12 months patients in Norfolk have benefited from developments such as the High Dose Rate (HDR) prostate brachytherapy treatment, and have become the first in the world to receive treatment from the new Varian Bravos afterloader system for brachytherapy. NNUH Cancer Manager Matthew Keeling said: “NNUH is a leading cancer centre and our staff and partners are amongst national leaders in both care and research. Hosting the East of England Radiotherapy Network is a tremendous honour and will allow us to identify and share exceptional radiotherapy practice for patients across the East of England.”
From left to right: Dr Tom Roques (Consultant Oncologist), Alison Vinall (Head of Radiotherapy Physics) and Mark Gilham (Head of Radiotherapy)