Cancer plans cause 'anxieties'

Specific operations will take place in Suffolk

A decision to concentrate gynaecological cancer surgery at one East Anglian hospital has caused concern in Essex.

Experts at the Essex Strategic Health Authority have agreed that operations for women from the Chelmsford and Colchester areas of the county should take place at Ipswich Hospital in Suffolk.

The decision followed a recommendation from the Mid-Anglia Cancer Network board, which has spent two years considering which hospital should host the services.

Chelmsford West MP Simon Burns, who argued against the loss of the service at St John's Hospital, Chelmsford, said he was disappointed by the decision.

40 mile journey

Mr Burns told BBC News Online that people living in Chelmsford would have to travel 40 miles to Ipswich Hospital.

"I do not think it is in the best interests of my constituents," he said.

The decision will bring the region into line with national guidelines on services to treat more unusual cancers.

These say it is more effective to have one specialist team serving a population of about one million inhabitants than to have less expert provision for a smaller area.

It will take about a year to implement the system, which will require a new ward to be built at Ipswich Hospital.

Only operations will have to be carried out at Ipswich Hospital, with other treatments such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy provided at the nearest hospital to the patient's home.

'Highly specialised'

Dr David Blainey, the clinical director for the network, said only about 200 women from Colchester and Chelmsford would need the specialist service each year.

He said the board had looked at issues such as access for patients and the strength of the medical teams before reaching its decision.

"It's entirely understandable they have anxieties about having to travel and about their care while they're there.

"But highly specialised work should be carried out by highly specialised teams, which is in any case national policy."