Before the end of the Summer for Brachytherapy is not good enough

11.55.39am GMT Wed 14th Feb 2007

Yesterday in plenary the Health Minister announced that he would offer revenue funding to Velindre NHS Trust for brachytherapy which would be available before the end of the summer.

Jenny Randerson AM, Welsh Lib Dem Health Spokesperson said "Before the end of the summer is not good enough. There needs to be a stop gap measure to buy commissioning from England. Some patients cannot afford to wait.

"An All Wales service as the Minister describes in his statement is not the sensible solution. I don't have a Geography degree but surely it is more sensible for people in North Wales to be seen in North-West England rather than the patient having to undergo a long journey and the NHS having to reimburse the travel costs.

"The same arguments that were being used to not fund brachytherapy are being used to delay it despite the Labour government backtracking on its provision. Too many decisions are being delayed until after the election."

Ends/diwedd

Andrew Sherwood,

Phone/Ffôn: 029 20898324