Cancer service future up for debate

MPs are to discuss the future of cancer care at the K&C Hospital

The future of an east Kent cancer centre is to be debated at Westminster following fears it could face closure.

Canterbury and Whitstable MP Julian Brazier will host the debate on Wednesday calling for the government to conduct a fresh review of cancer services at the Kent and Canterbury Hospital.

The hospital houses two linear accelerators, which are used to treat cancer.

The units were recently installed at the cost of £3m, and replaced two elderly machines.

'Half-baked model'

Mr Brazier believes cancer care should not have been included in a recent reorganisation of services at three hospitals in east Kent, because it is run by a separate body in Maidstone.

He said the cancer centre had become "caught up in the Kent and Canterbury reorganisation" and "fallen through the cracks".

"Here we have one of the best cancer centres in the country based in Canterbury.

"If the changes go through we will lose the cancer centre, and instead it will become effectively an outstation to Maidstone."

The Conservative MP said it would mean the most seriously ill cancer patients having to either travel to Maidstone or London for treatment.

He said an alternative would be for them to be treated on an "ambulatory basis", where a specialist is only available in Canterbury once a week.

"The government is trying to force this half-baked model on cancer consultants which does not operate anywhere in this country," Mr Brazier said.

However, Professor Roger James, the clinical director of the Kent and Medway Cancer Network, said he believed the changes would not mean more travelling for patients.

He said the present amount of cancer surgery in east Kent would remain, while all chemotherapy and 80-90% of radiotherapy treatments would continue.

"We have put the investment there - it will stay there. We want patients to be treated there," he insisted.