Varian Medical Systems Inc. has been awarded a contract from U.K.'s Department of Health's Cancer Plan for installation of seven of its linear accelerators at four U.K. radiotherapy centers.

The U.K. government has announced that four of the five hospitals in Wave 7 of the Cancer Plan have opted for Varian equipment - Royal Shrewsbury, Royal Devon & Exeter, Weston Park Hospital in Sheffield and Kent Oncology Centre in Maidstone.

The largest project is at Maidstone, where three Varian Clinac linear accelerators will be installed. Royal Devon & Exeter will install two new Clinac machines, and one will be installed at both Royal Shrewsbury and at Weston Park.

The new equipment will be installed over the next 18 months, Varian said.