Lack of national radiation equipment replacement programme beggars belief

• Ireland has the oldest radiation fleet in Europe and no national plan for replacement
• Business case for St. Luke’s LINAC replacement submitted in 2020 and still not actioned
• Government commitment to improving productivity rings hollow when one LINAC is kept out of operation to provide cover for broken-down machines
• Four successive years of the same commitment in the HSE capital plan, yet it has already missed its own target for this year
• Patients are being made to suffer unnecessarily, with delays causing huge distress

Labour Health Spokesperson Marie Sherlock has called on the Government and HSE to introduce a national rolling replacement programme for Ireland’s ageing LINAC machines. Deputy Sherlock made the call following a Health Committee hearing, where it emerged that the HSE has been dragging its heels on replacing LINAC machines, with a very real impact on patients and staff.

Deputy Sherlock said:

“The Minister’s focus on productivity within the HSE rings hollow when staff in our health service are operating with ageing and obsolete equipment. Ireland has the oldest radiation fleet in Europe, and it is letting patients and staff down. One machine is kept out of operation simply to provide cover for broken-down machines.

“This is a damning indictment of the poor processes within the Department of Health and the Health Service Executive when it comes to the proactive maintenance and replacement of equipment. There must be a national rolling replacement programme for LINAC machines across the health service. We should not be waiting until machines totally break down before deciding they need replacement.

“Out of 23 LINAC machines across Ireland, we heard in the Oireachtas Health Committee today that at least one must be kept on standby, such are the levels of breakdowns and issues with existing machines.

“We have seen the same commitment to the replacement of LINAC machines in the St. Luke’s Radiation Oncology Network (Rathgar, St. James’s, and Beaumont) made in the last four HSE capital plans, yet there has still been no tendering for new LINAC machines. It should not take this long to replace such essential, life-saving equipment.

“At least four of the machines in St. Luke’s, Rathgar, are over 18 years old, far beyond the recommended ten-year lifespan. Business cases were submitted in 2020 for their replacement, and yet we are still awaiting procurement.

“This inaction is having a profound impact on patients, as older machines are not as precise as newer ones and can expose patients to higher levels of radiation. There is also enormous disruption and distress when treatment appointments are delayed or cancelled due to machine reliability issues.

“We should have full confidence that our vital cancer treatment equipment works properly so that patients receive the best, timely care. Some 44,000 people in Ireland are diagnosed with cancer every year, and that figure is only set to grow. That is why we must become more ambitious when it comes to treatment, rolling procurement, and the anticipated national cancer strategy.

“Eighty per cent of our radiation fleet requires immediate or imminent replacement. That is why I am calling on the Minister for Health to introduce a national rolling replacement programme to anticipate end-of-life equipment replacement and ensure Irish patients benefit from advances in technology.”