Asteral gains first radiotherapy MES
Business manager cancer services Justin Wilkinson, hospital development manager Debbie Dearden, head of radiotherapy physics Andrew Poynter and head of radiotherapy service Jane Head, all from Peterborough and Stamford Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust with, from Asteral, head of oncology business development Steve Tuddenham, graduate trainee Arun Upil and implementations project manager Lloyd Stewart.
The UK’s first ever vendor independent radiotherapy Managed Equipment Services (MES) contract has been awarded to Asteral by Peterborough and Stamford Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
The new deal will provide radiotherapy equipment chosen on the basis of its clinical suitability rather than ties to individual manufacturers and will deliver convenient care closer to patients’ homes.
Steve Tuddenham, head of oncology business development for Asteral, that will take charge of financing, procuring, managing and servicing every item of equipment for the new radiotherapy centre outlined the deal.
“Peterborough set us a demanding target to guarantee we could provide the most appropriate equipment, keeping it all up to date over a 33 year term, while keeping day-to-day costs to an absolute minimum.
“The only way we could achieve this was through our vendor independent model that gives freedom to choose equipment on the basis of its fit with the trust’s requirements, ensuring clinical needs are met and best value achieved.
“This model also meant that we could provide all elements of the radiotherapy solution, from the linear accelerators to the immobilisation and quality assurance equipment, without compromise.”
See the full report on page 34 of the October 2010 issue of RAD Magazine.