Self-paying patients can now get proton beam therapy in UK

Private patients with medical insurance and self-paying patients can access high energy proton beam therapy from newly approved Rutherford Cancer Centre, Wales

Proton Partners International (PPI) has received approval from The Healthcare Inspectorate Wales to treat patients with proton beam therapy at its Rutherford Cancer Centre in Newport in Wales.

The centre, which opened in March 2017, will be the first in the UK to offer operational high energy proton beam therapy to patients from next week.

Proton beam therapy delivers heavily charged protons in a more targeted manner to reduce damage to peripheral tissue and organs.

Mike Moran, chief executive of PPI, said: “We are delighted that Healthcare Inspectorate Wales has approved the UK’s first high energy proton beam therapy system at our Rutherford Cancer Centre in Newport.

“For us, this is the first step in ensuring that UK patients who need proton beam therapy do not need to travel abroad to receive treatment – something which is all the more important with cancer rates continuing to rise, and with research indicating that proton therapy has significantly lower side effects than traditional cancer treatments.”

Treatment at the centre is available to private patients with medical insurance, self-paying patients and referrals by NHS Wales. PPI is also planning to open cancer centres offering high energy proton therapy in two other locations in the UK (North East and Thames Valley), and in Abu Dhabi.