Jersey's Health Minister to look into viability of on-island Radiotherapy unit

Jersey's Health Minister will look into whether it is viable to have a radiotherapy unit in the island after a proposition was approved in the States this afternoon (8 February).

Politicians have overwhelmingly voted in favour of the proposal which states the Health Minister will investigate the issue and produce a report on the advantages and disadvantages of an on island unit. He will have until April to do the work.

Islanders currently have to travel to Southampton to receive cancer treatments, with many of them saying a radiotherapy unit should be part of the new hospital plans.

In the debate this afternoon, the Assembly voted 38 to four in favour of Deputy Monfort Tadier's proposal.

The debate follows a petition signed by more than 3,000 islanders to include a radiotherapy unit in Jersey's new hospital.

A spokesperson for Guernsey's Committee for Health and Social Care said: "If Jersey were to develop their on-island capacity in this area then we would of course explore potential opportunities. However, it is important to recognise that we currently have very strong links with Southampton clinicians that our oncology team rely on.

"Those relationships benefit patients so the potential loss of those links would be a big consideration. We would also need to carefully consider the need to replicate wider infrastructure, for example accommodation, dedicate nurse input and other off-island arrangements which are all in place in Southampton.’