Albany radiation oncology service: State Government says centre ‘on-track’ despite campaigner concerns

The State Government says the delivery of Albany’s new $13.1 million radiation oncology service is “on track” despite the concerns of a steadfast campaigner who is calling for clarity on the progress of the project. In December 2019, when the site had been chosen and design work was under way, the State Government said it expected the facility to be “operational by early 2022”. By this time last year, that target had shifted from “early 2022” to “the second half of 2022” to “late 2022”. This week, while announcing a service provider for the facility, the State Government seemed to confirm the “operational” target had shifted once more. “The capital component of the project is expected to reach practical completion in late 2022,” the State Government said. GenesisCare has been awarded a 10-year contract to operate the service in collaboration with WA Country Health Service’s Albany Health Campus medical oncology team. The Australian-based integrated oncology provider will deliver treatment for cancer patients in the Great Southern including prostate, breast, lung and colorectal cancers, as well as palliative treatments for symptom control. “The award of this contract brings us another step closer to establishing the very first radiation oncology service in the Great Southern,” Health Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson said. “This delivers on our commitment to care closer to home for patients undergoing cancer treatment and we’re pleased to partner with GenesisCare who offer similar services in Bunbury.” The State and Federally funded facility will house a linear accelerator or LINAC Suite which targets cancer cells while minimising exposure to surrounding healthy tissue. Albany radiation service campaigner Mary Williams and O’Connor MHR Rick Wilson called for reassurances that the service would be ready to use in the second half of 2022, as forecast when construction started last year. Ms Williams, who has been pushing for the service for years, said she tried to contact the State Government in February for an update with no response. “I want a proper answer from the Premier and the Health Minister to say to the people of the Great Southern the reason why the hold-up to start with and secondly to reassure us that this will be up and running as was promised by the end of this year,” she said. “And if we have to go into another year, I will be asking a lot of questions.” Mr Wilson said he had also contacted the State Government for an update. “We have granted a second (Federal funding) extension to June 2023. I am disappointed that the State Government has requested a further extension for the completion date,” he said.