Cancer treatment centre may move

Katherine Tylko has signed a petition against the move to Bristol

Some women living in Bath and Wiltshire may have to travel to Bristol for treatment for gynaecological cancer following a review.

More than 4,000 people have signed a petition against the plan to relocate services from Bath's Royal United Hospital to St Michael's Hospital.

NHS Bath and North East Somerset said only the more complex cases and surgery would be carried out in Bristol.

The rest of care would remain at the local cancer treatment centre in Bath.

'Specialist surgery'

Katherine Tylko, from Bath, who was successfully treated at the Royal United Hospital for cancer of the uterus six years ago, said she was not against women travelling to Bristol for treatment if it was for a better service.

She said: "In some places centralisation would be wonderful, in others when there isn't already a centre of excellence it's just a joke - a false label - it is just spin."

Dr Kieran Morgan, director of public health for Bath and North East Somerset, said: "We're not talking about transferring all of care over to Bristol.

"This only accounts for about five or six days of a person's treatment in what could be years and years of treatment.

"We're expecting only the very specialist surgery will be done in Bristol and the rest of care will be carried on as usual at the local hospital."