Sheffield Teaching Hospitals to receive replacement linac as part of wider national rollout

Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is to receive a state-of-the-art radiotherapy system as part of a wider national government investment. The linac will replace an older system at Weston Park Cancer Centre (WPCC).

The trust is one of 28 hospitals across the country to have been awarded the government funding, which has prioritised replacement of machines that are currently more than 10 years old. Nationwide rollout is due to begin in August.

The technology will help doctors deliver precise treatment to reach cancers in difficult to treat areas such as the chest, abdomen and pelvis. It will also help some patients by requiring fewer rounds of treatment.

Consultant medical oncologist and clinical director for WPCC Dr Lucy Walkington said: “We are very grateful for this funding, which together with our own programme to constantly renew and modernise our radiotherapy equipment will ensure that we continue to offer our cancer patients the very best possible care. Advances in radiotherapy treatment have been rapid in the last decade, so together with our existing fleet of state-of-the-art radiotherapy machines, this upgraded equipment will help even more cancer patients receive precise and timely treatment. Newer machines can also deliver higher doses over less time to some tumour types.”

Cancer care in the region was also bolstered last year by the opening of a £4 million nuclear medicine and molecular radiotherapy suite, which will be critical in helping WPCC deliver a range of targeted treatments due to come on board in the next few years.

Picture: the linac will complement Weston Park Cancer Centre’s existing fleet of radiotherapy machines (Pic: Emily Benson, WPCC).

Read this report on page 3 of the August 2025 issue of RAD Magazine.