A major investment by the UK Government will see 28 hospitals across England receive cutting-edge radiotherapy machines, aiming to reduce cancer treatment delays and improve patient outcomes.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting confirmed on Monday that a £70 million investment will fund the rollout of new linear accelerator (Linac) machines, with installations beginning from August this year. The technology is designed to deliver faster, safer, and more precise cancer treatment, particularly for hard-to-reach tumours in areas such as the chest and pelvis.
The move comes as part of the Government’s broader effort to modernise NHS cancer care and tackle long-standing equipment shortages in oncology departments.
“There is a revolution taking place in medical technology which can transform treatment for cancer patients,” said Mr Streeting. “But NHS hospitals are forced to use outdated, malfunctioning equipment thanks to 14 years of under-investment under the previous government.”
He continued: “Thanks to the investment this Government is making in our NHS, we will provide more cancer patients with world-class, cutting-edge care. These machines are part of the investment and modernisation that will cut waiting times for patients, through our plan for change.”
The new Linac machines will replace older models—some more than a decade old—and are expected to enhance the NHS’s capacity by reducing the number of hospital visits patients need for radiotherapy. According to the Department of Health and Social Care, the investment will enable the delivery of up to 27,500 additional treatments annually by March 2027. This includes ensuring that up to 4,500 patients receive their first cancer treatment within 62 days of referral.
“As a cancer survivor, I know just how important timely treatment is,” Mr Streeting added. “By reducing the number of hospital visits required and preventing cancelled appointments, these state-of-the-art radiotherapy machines free up capacity so that thousands more patients are treated on time.”
The machines are capable of delivering highly targeted radiation therapy that minimises harm to surrounding healthy tissue—an advancement that experts say could significantly improve recovery times and reduce side effects.
Professor Peter Johnson, NHS National Clinical Director for Cancer, praised the investment. “Radiotherapy is essential for many cancer patients, so it’s great news that the investment in new machines means that some will need fewer rounds of treatment, as we bring in more sophisticated techniques,” he said.
“These machines will deliver more precise treatment for patients, which helps them to recover sooner, as well as enabling the NHS to treat people more efficiently as we continue in our efforts to catch and treat more cancers faster.”
Cancer charity Macmillan Cancer welcomed the move, calling it an “exciting step forward for cancer treatment in England”. Kate Seymour, the charity’s Head of External Affairs, said: “Many people across the country are facing long delays for care but today proves that better is possible. Investment in cutting-edge technology is essential to bring down waiting times and help more people with cancer get the best care the UK has to offer, whoever and wherever they are.”
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Shadow Health Secretary Edward Argar also backed the announcement, while calling for a renewed focus on early diagnosis. “This capital investment in new radiotherapy machines should be welcomed by everyone,” he said. “But ensuring an early diagnosis remains key to tackling cancer… so alongside investment in new kit, it is vital the Government reinstates the early cancer diagnosis targets they dropped recently.”
Hospitals set to receive the new Linac machines include:
Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals, Northampton General, United Lincolnshire Hospitals, University Hospitals Plymouth, Royal Free London, Cambridge University Hospitals, Hampshire Hospitals, The Royal Marsden, Worcestershire Acute, Lancashire Teaching Hospitals, Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals, East Suffolk and North Essex, Royal Berkshire, Imperial College Healthcare, Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells, University Hospitals Bristol and Weston, South Tees, The Christie, Gloucestershire Hospitals, Nottingham University Hospitals, Royal Cornwall Hospitals, The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre, Derby and Burton, Guy’s and St Thomas’, University College London Hospitals, Barts Health, and Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust.
