Radiotherapy cheaper and better, say Altnagelvin staff

Equally, the Trust’s pioneering implementation of Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) testing is saving the health authority a fortune on cervical screening.

Stormont Health Committee chair Michelle Gildernew told the Assembly how ensuring people receive radiotherapy quickly and appropriately makes sense not only for the patient but also in budgetary terms.

She briefed MLAs on a visit to Altnagelvin by members of the committee on Wednesday, June 22.

She said: “On making savings, last week, the Committee heard at first hand about the innovations that Health Service staff are coming up with and which are beneficial to patient safety and the public purse.

“Last Wednesday, we visited Altnagelvin Area Hospital and were briefed by staff from the Western Trust on the work that they are doing, particularly in the field of cancer.

“The Committee learned that radiotherapy, which the new centre at Altnagelvin will provide, is not only a highly effective treatment in curing and extending the lifespan of people with cancer but is more cost-effective than surgery or drugs.

“By making sure that people receive radiotherapy quickly and appropriately, the Health Service can ensure the best chance of a good outcome for the patient and also for the budget,” she said.

The Health chair also praised the “excellent work that is being done at Altnagelvin in the provision of human papilloma virus (HPV) testing in the Western Trust.”

The Trust - said Ms Gildernew - was the only health authority in Northern Ireland carrying out HPV testing.

She told the Assembly the Trust was making massive savings on cervical screening as a consequence of the implementation.

“By being able to test for HPV and thereby being able to offer immediate treatment for those who need it, the trust is making massive savings on cervical screening.

“Under the old cervical screening pathway, a woman with an abnormal result may have to go through 13 screenings over a 12-year period,” she said.

“The new system will require only two screenings in an eight-month period.

“Given that each smear and screening costs £40, the savings soon add up.

“We also heard about the screening programme for bowel cancer.

“Again, if that cancer is caught in the early stages, the prognosis is very good, and costly treatments — in financial and, more importantly, in human terms — can be avoided,” Ms Glidernew added.