Radiotherapy given through a linear accelerator is an important line of defence against some forms of cancer, yet West Sussex Primary Care Trust, which has been in existence for two years and has a £1billion budget, has only just announced plans to acquire three machines for the county.

A clinical source close to the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton, a specialist cancer centre where there is a radiotherapy machine, said: "We know there are patients who have chosen not to have radiotherapy because they have to travel such a long way from home. Although targets are being met for radiotherapy treatment, the issue is the distances patients have to travel when they feel unwell."

Mid Sussex health campaigner Janice Kent said: "The situation is disgraceful."

Director of the Sussex Cancer Network Deborah Tomalin said a new linear accelerator costs in the region of £1million, adding: "Historically, radiotherapy services have been built up at specialist cancer centres because of the workforce requirements. It needs a skills mix and we have that skills mix at specialist centres in Brighton, Southampton and Guildford.

"Also, there are a variety of cancer treatments and it makes sense to provide these services close together at one centre."

Read the full story in the Mid Sussex Times

What do you think? Send us your views by emailing the paper at middy.news@sussexnewspapers.co.uk, giving your name and road name, or comment online by registering or signing in below