TWEED cancer patients now have access to quality multidisciplinary care with the appointment of a radiation oncologist to the district.

Multidisciplinary care teams involve medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, surgeons, pathologists, radiologists, nurses and allied health practitioners coming together to discuss patient care and needs in one streamlined sitting.

Previously the Tweed Byron teams didn't have a radiation oncologist.

Northern NSW Local Health District chief executive Chris Crawford said the appointment of Dr Patrick Dwyer to the North Coast Cancer Institute (NCCI) meant the teams would now have radiation oncologist input on a needs basis.

"Dr Dwyer is a radiation oncologist with a special interest in patients with head and neck, lung, upper gastro-intestinal and colo-rectal cancers," Mr Crawford explained.

"His appointment and attendance as part of the Tweed Multidisciplinary Team meetings benefit patients residing in the Tweed Byron area as well as patients from South Eastern Queensland."

The appointment of Dr Dwyer and a new linear accelerator means there is no longer a waiting list at the NCCI in Lismore.

According to NCCI director Associate Professor Tom Shakespeare the numbers of patients being referred from the Tweed-Byron area to NCCI in Lismore is on the increase as previously patients had to use private radiotherapy at John Flynn on the Gold Coast to avoid the waiting lists.