Work to start on new bunker to replace third linear accelerator

16/11/2007 | New bunker

Preparatory work is getting underway this week on a bunker which will house a new replacement third cancer radiation therapy treatment linear accelerator by mid-2008 at Palmerston North Hospital.

As a result of the almost $7million project, part of carpark B (opposite the hangar) has been closed temporarily so that building sheds can be moved on site. Nine carparks that were reserved for radiation oncology patients have been moved and signposted to nearby carpark A during construction. Visitors to the hospital will still be able to use the nearby Ward block access ways from the carparks.

The board approved the project in February, and last week Mainzeal Construction was awarded the contract, from three tenderers, to build the new bunker at a cost of $2.697 million. A new linear accelerator was approved in February at a cost of about $3.943 million, with costs to be spread over three years. The accelerator will arrive in time to coincide with the bunker’s completion.

Work on the new bunker will be at a new ground level vacant area under another existing bunker. The current bunker couldn’t be used as it is too small to accommodate the bigger and more powerful replacement, and more radiation protection will be required in the new bunker.

As well as the new linac, and bunker, a further radiation therapy planning system workstation has been bought and installed.

The board plans to spread financial payments out over three financial years - $1.5million from 2005-06 unspent capital; $3.5 million from the 2006-07 capital allocation; with the balance from the next financial year.

• Nationally there are six cancer treatment services using 19 linear accelerators.
• The MidCentral Regional Cancer Treatment Service (RCTS) provides non-surgical cancer treatment encompassing medical oncology, radiation oncology, clinical haematology, and palliative care to a catchment of 565,000 people in six DHBs –MidCentral, Hawke’s Bay, Whanganui, Wairarapa, Taranaki, and Tairawhiti.