Investment in Cornwall’s NHS

In conversation with Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting

Cancer touches so many of our families. Ensuring the right equipment is available, at the right time, in the right place, is essential. That is why I am pleased that Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust is one of 28 hospitals across the country set to receive new, advanced radiotherapy machines.

Announced by the Government this month, this marks a significant investment in cancer care. These advanced machines can target more difficult areas such as the chest, abdomen, and pelvis, while also reducing the number of radiotherapy sessions needed. That means the NHS can treat more people with safer, faster, and more precise care.

Thousands of patients across the country will benefit, and here in Cornwall, this could mean starting treatment sooner, having fewer appointments, and a better chance of recovery. Like so many public services in our region, access to modern equipment is key to levelling up healthcare in rural areas.

This rollout is expected to prevent around 13,000 lost appointments due to equipment breakdowns and enable up to 27,500 additional radiotherapy treatments each year by March 2027. That includes up to 4,500 patients starting treatment within 62 days of an urgent referral - a crucial target for cancer care.

The £70 million behind this investment is part of the Government’s wider Plan for Change to improve cancer diagnosis and treatment across the NHS.

Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting put it clearly: “There is a revolution taking place in medical technology which can transform treatment for cancer patients. But NHS hospitals are forced to use outdated, malfunctioning equipment thanks to 14 years of underinvestment under the previous government. Thanks to the investment this government is making in our NHS, we will provide more cancer patients with world-class, cutting-edge care.”

In addition to this important investment in cancer care, there is more good news for our NHS here in Cornwall. Last month, the Department of Energy Security announced that eleven NHS sites in Cornwall will receive funds for solar panels. The funding comes from the first wave of investment by GB Energy, the government’s new state-owned energy company. This funding is expected to save the Trust hundreds of thousands of pounds annually while reducing its carbon emissions. All savings are to be reinvested into patient care.

Together, these investments are helping build a more resilient future for Cornwall’s NHS.