Radiotherapy oncology services in Griffith

Riverina Cancer Care Centre (RCCC) is extending their services to the Griffith area communities, with a $5 million radiotherapy centre to be open in the next 12 to 18 months.

Griffith was flagged as one of 10 country centres by the Federal Government to develop radiology services.

RCCC Managing Director Damien Williams said through support of the Federal Government, Federal Member for Farrer Sussan Ley and the local community the radiation oncology facility in Griffith will become a reality.

“This will be a great enhancement to services offered to the entire Riverina community,” Mr Williams said.

“A radiation oncology service in Griffith has been a desire for the Riverina Cancer Care Centre, and is the natural next step in cancer service improvement. Our Griffith service will be networked to RCCC in Wagga providing enhanced support and back up.”

Griffith oncology patients have been travelling from Griffith to Wagga or beyond, for radiation therapy treatment.

“Treatment can be up to eight weeks in duration leading to patients being away from family, friends and loved ones for significant periods of time,” Mr Williams said.

Patients will now be able to stay at home with their family while accessing Radiation Therapy treatment.

Minister for the Environment and Member for Farrer, Sussan Ley, echoed a statement by Minister for Health and Aged Care, Greg Hunt in regard to bettering access to life-saving services in rural and regional Australia.

“Delivering this new facility for Griffith and the M.I.A. was one of my major commitments before the last election and arguably the most important,” Ms Ley said.

“Providing a high quality service like this into rural NSW means hundreds of local patients and families will no longer have to travel that extra distance just to receive the treatment they need.”

The Griffith community is discussing the need for purpose built accommodation for patients from outside of the Griffith area who may need to travel long distances for care.

Purpose-built patient accommodation will be an integral part of holistic patient care said Mr Williams.

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