MONDAY, 3 FEBRUARY, 2025

Photograph attached: l-r therapeutic radiographer Emma Leitch, treatment planning development lead Megan Couper, head of therapeutic radiography Damian Parr, Associate Director for Patient Access and Assurance Jessica Henderson, Associate Medical Director for Access and Planned Care Jason Hardy, therapeutic radiographer Heather Hall and radiotherapy technical lead Vinay Pandey

Teams step up for Tayside radiotherapy patients

NHS Tayside has completed a programme of major upgrades to its radiotherapy service with the installation of a new state-of-the-art linear accelerator (LINAC).

The new LINAC will allow NHS Tayside to deliver cutting-edge techniques which use 3D technology to track the surface of a patient’s body, ensuring that radiation is precisely targeted during treatment. A further replacement LINAC is due to be installed later this year with the same improved capabilities to treat patients with cancer using this surface guided radiation therapy (SGRT).

Head of therapeutic radiography Damian Parr said, “The installation of this new linear accelerator allows us to keep developing our service, ensuring we continue to deliver the best quality of care for patients.”

LINACs are housed in specially-built bunkers and the old unit had to be removed to allow the new one to be installed, meaning only two of NHS Tayside’s three LINACs were available to the radiotherapy service during this time. Staff and the service changed working patterns and offered extended hours for treatments throughout the installation programme to minimise any impact on patients.

Dr Paddy Niblock, oncology consultant and radiotherapy service lead, paid tribute to the staff. “I’d like to say a huge thank you to the therapy radiographers and physicists for being flexible with their shifts to support their patients, as well as to the wider team for completing this major project in record time. This team effort ensured that we could continue to deliver radiotherapy treatments without any major impact.”

Head of radiotherapy physics Sankar Pillai added, “The successful completion of this major project within a record period of seven months is attributed to the hard work and commitment of the multi-disciplinary radiotherapy service, in close collaboration with colleagues from property and estates, digital, finance, senior management and external service providers.”

NHS Tayside’s oncology team provides radiation therapy to patients with cancer using a suite of equipment, including three LINACs and one high dose-rate brachytherapy unit. This is supported by an advanced treatment planning system, oncology management system and radiotherapy archiving system.

Contact:

Louise Wilson

NHS Tayside Communications

(01382) 740718