Matthew Patrick, the Labour MP for Wirral West, visited The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre’s Wirral site earlier this month (Friday 3 July) to hear how a new PET-CT scanner that is the first of its kind in the UK is benefiting people in Cheshire and Merseyside.
Mr Patrick was welcomed by Tori Young, Chief Operating Officer, and given a full tour of Clatterbridge Cancer Centre – Wirral (CCC-Wirral) to find out about the innovative specialist cancer care it provides.
The Siemens Healthineers Biograph Trinion PET-CT scanner, which went live in March 2026, is the first of its kind in the UK. The state-of-the-art scanner produces extremely high-quality 3-D images of inside the body. It combines PET imaging, which highlights areas where cells are more active than normal, with CT scans, which provide a 3-D view.
Patients are referred to the PET-CT service for scans for a very wide range of conditions, not just cancer. As well as its exceptional image quality, the new scanner is much quicker than older models. Average scan time is just seven minutes, compared with 25 minutes previously. Having a scan is quicker and more comfortable for patients. It also means up to 17 patients can be scanned each day, compared with 10 on the old scanner.
During his tour, Mr Patrick visited CCC-Wirral’s radiotherapy treatment unit, which treats around 125 patients every day for conditions including breast, prostate, lung and colorectal cancers. It has three linear accelerator treatment machines (known as ‘linacs’) and a special scanner used to carefully plan patients’ radiotherapy treatments, targeting tumours while protecting the areas around them. Patients also benefit from treatment review appointments with radiographers to help them monitor and manage any side-effects.
Mr Patrick also spent time on the Delamere Unit where he heard how advances in chemotherapy, immunotherapy, targeted therapies and other treatments are helping people live longer and have a better quality of life after diagnosis.
CCC-Wirral is also home to the UK’s National Eye Proton Therapy Centre, which is one of just a few specialist centres worldwide offering this treatment. The low-energy proton beams very precisely target cancers such as uveal melanomas, helping patients avoid surgery to remove their eye.
Unlike traditional radiotherapy, which uses intense X-ray beams, proton beam therapy is particularly well suited for treating eye cancers. The energy is deposited at a specific depth and then stops, protecting surrounding tissue such as the optic nerve and brain from exposure to radiation.
Mr Patrick met the team and heard how their expertise benefits patients who are referred to the service from across the UK.
Speaking of the visit, Mr Patrick said:
It was fantastic to see the new PET-CT scanner, the first of its kind in the UK, which is helping patients receive faster, high-quality diagnostic imaging and improving their overall experience of care.
I was also proud to learn more about the National Eye Proton Therapy Centre, one of only a handful of specialist centres worldwide treating eye cancers and providing highly specialised treatment for patients referred from across the UK.
Clatterbridge is a hospital that understands the vital role it plays in our community here on the Wirral and far beyond. The dedication, expertise and innovation of its staff are truly remarkable. I will continue to make the case for Clatterbridge and for further investment, so that local people can continue to benefit from the very best facilities, equipment, and cancer care.
Tori Young, Chief Operating Officer at The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre, said:
It was a pleasure to welcome Mr Patrick to CCC-Wirral and show him the truly exceptional care that our staff provide here every day. We are very lucky to have such incredible, dedicated and innovative teams.
Cancer care is always evolving and The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre is right at the forefront, providing expert, highly-specialist care. Just as importantly, though, patients tell us how much they value the warm welcome and personalised care they receive at CCC-Wirral.
More images from Mr Patrick's visit
