Labour Prevaricates Over Cancer Treatment

3.51.45pm GMT Tue 23rd Jan 2007

Jenny Randerson AM today challenged Rhodri Morgan in Plenary to find £300,000 per annum to fund brachytherapy in Wales.

The Health Spokesperson for the Welsh Liberal Democrats said "The First Minister, who didn't seem to know who was supposed to fund brachytherapy, claims not to have known until recently about the funding log jam for brachytherapy but I have known for a number of months and have repeatedly pressed the Health and First Ministers on this issue.

"While the Labour Assembly Government prevaricates and procrastinates it is becoming too late for some men to have brachytherapy at all, Brachytherapy has considerable benefits for the treatment of prostate cancer, including being less invasive than other treatments.

"Not all prostate cancer victims can wait for Labour to fund it 'at some point in the future'.

"Velindre NHS Trust has had to refuse free brachytherapy equipment from a charitable source because it cannot secure continuing funding. It's nonsense that Velindre cannot accept an offer of equipment for brachytherapy because they can't afford to run it. Labour needs to look carefully at the way they are funding hospitals."

Ends/diwedd

Notes:

The £300,000 figure is based on the number of people who would be treated by brachytherapy were it available.

Contact/cyswllt: Andrew Sherwood - 029 2089 8324

Embargo: Immediate