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Home > Ministers > The Hon Warren Snowdon MP, Minister for Indigenous Health, Rural and Regional Health and Regional Services Delivery > Media Hub > $ 41.6 Million Enhanced Regional Cancer Centre for Tamworth

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PDF printable version of $ 41.6 Million Enhanced Regional Cancer Centre for Tamworth (PDF 23 KB)

7 April 2010

Cancer patients in Tamworth and the New England region will benefit from a new $41.6 million Regional Cancer Centre, Rural and Regional Health Minister Warren Snowdon said today.

The Rudd Government is investing $31.6 million, with an additional $10 million from the New South Wales Government.

The New England and North West Regional Cancer Centre project is part of the Rudd Government’s $560 million Regional Cancer Centre Initiative to create a network of best practice regional cancer centres and associated accommodation facilities across Australia.

Mr Snowdon said today’s funding announcement will enhance cancer services and care for the people of Tamworth, Armidale and surrounding communities.

Funding will allow for:

• one linear accelerator (used for radiation therapy) and two radiotherapy bunkers at Tamworth;
• six chemotherapy chairs (four at Tamworth and two at Armidale);
• major diagnostic equipment, including a new computed tomography (CT) scanner at Tamworth; and
• 14 additional accommodation places for rural and regional patients and their carers, based at the Tamworth Base Hospital campus.

New facilities will be based in Tamworth, linking with additional medical oncology services in Armidale and with other cancer services in New England and North West NSW.

“When operating at full capacity, these new facilities will provide radiotherapy for an estimated extra 414 patients a year, and an estimated extra 3,000 chemotherapy treatments a year,” Mr Snowdon said.

He said it’s of great concern that for the 30 per cent of Australians living in rural and remote areas, outcomes are worse than for people living in the city.

“Survival rates for people suffering from cancer are lower in regional and rural communities. With some cancers, patients from rural areas are up to three times more likely to die within five years of diagnosis than their urban counterparts.

“Investment in world-class regional cancer centres such as the one we will build here in Tamworth will enable rural and regional Australians to have better access to essential cancer services closer to home and deal more effectively with cancer treatment challenges.

“That will ultimately mean people can live longer and have a better quality of life,” said Mr Snowdon said.

Media contact: Minister Snowdon’s office 02 6277 7380