The Radiation Therapy Advisory Group (RTAG) welcomes the announcement tonight by The Hon Josh Frydenberg, Treasurer of Australia, of $45.5 million from the Federal Budget to help fund radiation therapy for regional parts of Australia.
RTAG has been campaigning for better access for regional cancer patients and is pleased that the Government recognises the need to help them access radiation therapy, a treatment which is precise, effective and non-invasive compared with other forms of treatment.
Radiation therapy is still under-used in the fight against cancer, and this announcement goes some way to closing the gap for regional cancer patients so that they can benefit from better outcomes during their treatment.
A lack of radiation therapy means higher mortality rates, avoidable surgeries, long-distance travel and weeks away from home, so RTAG welcomes moves to reduce these negative outcomes for regional cancer patients.
RTAG looks forward to working with the Federal Government to plan for the most effective distribution of this money to regional population centres that can service their surrounding areas, and hopes to be able to improve outcomes for cancer patients in each of the twelve locations we are campaigning for.
Following this announcement, RTAG plans to continue to work with the Federal Government to provide top-level advice on radiation therapy and to promote radiation therapy in regional Australia.
