The lack of specialised medical staff, equipment and treatments has long been a major sore point for patients, carers, families and the wider community.

They would be entitled to ask: “We’ve been asking for years. What took so long?”

Now Dubbo looks set to get a fully-fledged radiotherapy unit in the hospital upgrade. It will also have a full-time cancer specialist and other highly-trained medical staff.

The new-look services will have the capability to introduce cutting-edge methods that could reduce the number of intrusive procedures in some treatments.

All the improvements disclosed in the Daily Liberal are commendable and a big step in improving health services in the region.

They are timely given the expected 20 per cent increase in cancer in the western region by 2016.

But, they will not solve every issue -- there is a long list.

Patients may still have to travel to other centres for treatment. Government subsidies for travel and accommodation are highly inadequate. Patients here face co-payments for chemotherapy and other drugs. They are free in Sydney.

They are just two examples.

Many people suffer a range of other life-threatening or serious illnesses. They need – and should get -- access to greatly improved local treatment.

Hopefully, the hospital upgrade and improvements to cancer treatment are just the beginning.