Radiation therapy resumes at Waikato DHB for cancer patients

Radiation therapy resumed at Waikato DHB today as the supporting system was restored and machines brought back online.

The first treatment began at 8am with 22 patients scheduled for sessions at Waikato hospital today.

Chief Executive Dr Kevin Snee said it was an important milestone for so many staff who had been working around the clock on the restoration of the DHB’s systems.

“Being able to again provide this important service for our community here in Waikato is a great reward for all the hard work of our IT, support and clinical teams.”

He said the service would not immediately be operating at full capacity as some patients continued to receive care in Tauranga and Wellington.

“We have four machines and will begin with two this week while we keep a number of our staff in Tauranga and Wellington to ensure continuity of care for those patients who were sent to those areas. Once our staff and patients are repatriated to Hamilton, which is expected over the next two weeks, we’ll be able to have all four up and running.”

Work is continuing to restore all systems across the DHB with a number of key services including the inpatient management system and diagnostic services across the radiology and laboratory services expected to be online this week.