A local Assembly Member has pressed the Welsh Government to establish a mobile cancer treatment service in an effort to treat rural cancer patients in their own communities, closer to their homes.
Speaking in the Senedd last week (Wednesday 15th June), Russell George, AM for Montgomeryshire, called on the Welsh Government’s new Cabinet Secretary for Health, Vaughan Gething AM, to establish a national Mobile Cancer Treatment Service to prevent long round trip journeys for patients to access treatment.
After questioning the Minister, Mr George said:
“Currently, more than a fifth of people across Wales are waiting more than 8 weeks for diagnosis so there needs to be a radical reform of the way we approach critical cancer care.
“Access to screening services, in particular, differs significantly as a result of the geography of Wales and I believe that a Cancer Patient Fund would end this postcode lottery for rural cancer patients.
“In my view, the creation of a national Mobile Cancer Treatment Service would prevent long round trip journeys for patients accessing clinics and chemotherapy treatment.
“Making greater use of diagnostic technology in GP surgeries would also reduce referrals to secondary care, serving to not only remove the bottleneck on already congested NHS services but also speed-up treatment times.
“I strongly urge the Welsh Government’s new Cabinet Secretary for Health to introduce this much-needed Mobile Cancer Treatment service which would transform the care of cancer patients in rural Mid Wales.”