Overview

• £70 million has been allocated for linear accelerators, with deliveries to NHS hospitals beginning in August 2025.
• By March 2027 the new machines are projected to deliver up to 27,500 additional treatments annually, including 4,500 first therapies within 62 days of referral.
• Priority has been given to trusts with equipment over ten years old, including The Christie in Manchester and The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre in Merseyside.
• Health Secretary Wes Streeting said the upgraded Linac technology will free up capacity and reduce cancellations to ensure more patients receive timely care.
• Macmillan Cancer Support described the investment as an “exciting step forward”; Shadow Health Secretary Edward Argar called for reinstating early cancer diagnosis targets to improve outcomes.