Foreword

Cancer is on the increase. The Cancer Institute NSW predicts that there will be over 30 per cent more cancer cases in the next ten years than there were in the last ten years. By 2016, there will be an estimated 45,000 cases of cancer each year, costing around $106 billion over the next ten years.

Radiotherapy is one of the main treatments for cancer, along with surgery and chemotherapy. It can be used to cure cancer and also to reduce pain.

While New South Wales has a number of well-established radiotherapy treatment centres, the high capital cost limits their availability in all hospitals. Some patients need to travel long distances and be away from their homes for up to seven weeks.

In this audit we look at whether patients have reasonable access to radiotherapy, services are located where they are needed and are adequately staffed, and that resources are properly utilised. We also examine whether radiotherapy services are likely to be adequate in the future.

The report recommends a number of ways to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of radiotherapy services in New South Wales.

It follows previous audit reports that have looked at critical areas of NSW Health including Delivering Health Care out of Hospitals (2008) and Managing Infectious Disease Outbreaks (2006).

I believe this report will encourage better practice, at a time when the availability, efficiency and effectiveness of State resources are receiving increased attention.

Tony Whitfield

Deputy Auditor-General

June 2009