NZ Health Minister Visits Auckland Cancer Centre

New Zealand Health Minister, Dr Jonathan Coleman has visited Auckland’s Regional Cancer and Blood Service to inspect radiation therapy services.

Auckland District Health Board has invested in new technology to enable more precise and faster radiation therapy treatment for people with cancer.

Radiation therapy is an effective, sophisticated and safe treatment for people with cancer.

Auckland’s Regional Cancer and Blood Service has set a new target – that 90 per cent of patients will receive their first treatment within 62 days of being referred urgently with a high suspicion of cancer by June 2017.

The new technology has led to a better patient experience. Some of the treatments that in the past might have taken 25 minutes can now be delivered in less than five minutes – and with a sub-millimetre accuracy in targeting the cancer.

Minister Coleman viewing the new technology in action.