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LIFE-SAVING CANCER SERVICE OPENS IN GEELONG Friday, 15 October 2010


LIFE-SAVING CANCER SERVICE OPENS IN GEELONG

From the Minister for Health

Friday, 15 October 2010
Geelong residents have better access to life-saving cancer facilities with the opening of a new state-of-the-art diagnostic service – the first of its kind for public patients in regional Victoria.

Health Minister Daniel Andrews today officially opened the $1.5 million Positron Emission Tomography - Computed Tomography (PET-CT) facility at Geelong Hospital.

“Our Government is committed to giving Victorians a better health system by ensuring health services have the latest medical equipment to deliver the highest-quality care to patients,” Mr Andrews said.

“We know it’s important for hospitals to have the latest cutting-edge medical technology and that is why we delivered $500,000 to help establish the first regional public PET-CT facility.

“A further $500,000 was provided from both the Commonwealth Government and Barwon Health.”

PET-CT scanners accurately locate hard-to-detect tumours that previously may have been missed by older technologies. It produces a 3D image showing the location of disease and functioning of organs and tissue.

Member for South Barwon Michael Crutchfield said the technology would enable high precision diagnosis and treatment of cancer.

“Barwon Health operates the largest cancer service outside Melbourne,” Mr Crutchfield said.

“This PET-CT facility in Geelong is ensuring families have access to the very best cancer services closer to home.

“About 1500 patients from the Barwon South West Region will benefit from the Geelong PET-CT facility each year.”

Mr Andrews said the PET-CT service in Geelong would provide a significant boost to Barwon Health’s Andrew Love Cancer Centre’s capacity to diagnose and treat cancer patients from the Barwon South-West region.

“The facility also supports advanced imaging research and expands the capacity of the centre to take part in international clinical trials,” he said.

Mr Andrews said the Brumby Labor Government had invested $13.5 million for medical equipment and over $200 million in capital works at Barwon Health.

“Work underway includes two additional theatres, existing theatre refurbishment, development of a new 24-bed ward and enhanced ICU capacity, an 8-bed expansion of the Swanston Centre and clinical services reconfiguration,” he said.

“In the last Budget we committed a further $33.6 million to expand acute capacity at the Geelong Hospital as well as planning for a new campus in southern Geelong.”




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Last Updated: 15 October 2010
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