£7m oncology expansion at Cheltenham

Seated are pre-treatment lead radiographer, Cathy Mannion and Philips Healthcare regional general manager Rob Davies.  In the foreground on the left are senior radiographer Maxine Norris and Sarah Rowe.  Middle row (from left):- Roger Moulding of Kitto Construction, Philips Healthcare UK regional project manager Cath Sellwood, sales specialist Jenny Campbell, Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust chief executive Dr Frank Harsent, consultant clinical oncologist Dr Jo Bowen and radiotherapy physicist, Cheltenham General Hospital Pravin Mistri.  Back row:- Philips imaging systems sales director Mike Hayden, oncology imaging sales and applications specialist Colin Murray, Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust medical director Dr Sean Elyan and lead radiographer oncology and radiotherapy services manager Carol Scott.

A multi-million pound oncology and endoscopy building is now in use at Cheltenham General Hospital.  The £7m scheme is a two-storey extension to the existing oncology centre.  As part of the expansion, the centre has purchased a Philips Brilliance Big Bore CT scanner.

Replacing a radiotherapy stimulator, the system comes with Pinnacle³ radiotherapy planning software.  It has been designed specifically for radiation treatment planning with an 85cm aperture and large field-of-view to help improve treatment for breast lymphoma and larger patients by providing accurate simulation to improve the precision of radiation therapy delivery.

See the full report on page 8 of the March 2010 issue of RAD Magazine.