Metro Tunnel works could force Peter MacCallum Centre radiotherapy machine shutdown

THE head of Melbourne’s Metro Tunnel admits staff at Peter MacCallum Hospital have “genuine concerns” about the impact of construction on sensitive lifesaving radiotherapy machines.

THE head of Melbourne’s Metro Tunnel admits staff at Peter MacCallum Hospital have “genuine concerns” about the impact of construction on sensitive lifesaving equipment.

Melbourne Metro Rail Authority CEO Evan Tattersall said the authority had assessed machinery at the hospital and was working through solutions to prevent disruptions to patients.

“There are many options to manage the impact we have up there,” he said.

“We are looking at operational solutions with the hospitals but the specifics of that we haven’t finalised.

“There are genuine concerns with some of the stakeholders and we understand that completely given the nature of the works in a sensitive environment.”

Lifesaving radiotherapy machines may have to shut down for years during Metro Tunnel construction, forcing the state government to spend tens of millions of dollars on replacement services.

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Radiotherapy machines at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre may have to shut down for years. Picture: Kris Reichl

The Herald Sun has learned the government is ­secretly making contingency plans for a complete shutdown of radiotherapy equipment at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, over concerns vibrations from tunnelling will have an impact on the highly sensitive equipment.
But Mr Tattersall today said the MMRA would bear the cost of disruptions.

“We work with all of the stakeholders up there and if we force them to do something different well that’s a cost that we wear not them,” he said.

“Building a new station in that environment has its challenges and we will make sure that we do everything to ensure that patient care is not compromised.”

The Health Department has quietly contacted suppliers to replace the $5 million machines. But industry ­sources say the waiting list can be months, if not years.

The Andrews Government has said the machines could be switched off during tunnelling overnight, and recalibrated next morning.

But sources say the machines, which kill cancer cells with radiation beams, can’t easily be switched on and off.

The need to protect the equipment, and the difficulties in continually recalibrating the machines, was made clear during a series of confidential meetings between bosses at Metro, the Health Department and the Peter MacCallum Centre.

Government sources have confirmed that a “Plan B” to close down the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre radiotherapy services is being examined, but they say it is only a contingency measure.

The preferred option remains to continue the treatments around tunnelling, as occurred during similar works in London.

A government spokeswoman said tunnelling would not begin for 18 months and all efforts were being made to mitigate any impacts.

“We’re continuing to work closely with hospitals and other institutions to manage any potential impacts once major construction gets under way,” she said.

Parkville station is one of the new stations on the train line.

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“These are the types of ­issues routinely managed on similar tunnel projects in busy cities around the world.”

Peter MacCallum’s executive director of strategy, Siegi Schmidmaier, said the hospital was working with the Melbourne Metro Rail Authority to manage all possible risks during the construction.

As revealed by the Herald Sun in 2016, Parkville medical precinct partners warned the Melbourne Metro Rail Authority that patient safety would be compromised and highly sensitive hospital equipment endangered by construction. The tunnel will run beneath the Parkville hospital area.

Liberal MP Margaret Fitzherbert, a bowel cancer survivor, accused Premier Daniel Andrews of botching planning and causing stress to cancer patients whose treatments might be moved or delayed.

“The Premier was warned three years ago about this and the impact on cancer patients and their families, but he still doesn’t have an answer,” Ms Fitzherbert said.

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