Save R.U.H. Cancer Services

9.30.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Sat 13th Oct 2007

Liberal Democrats in Bath are campaigning to prevent specialist cancer treatment for gynaecological cancers being moved from the Royal United Hospital to United Bristol Healthcare Trust.

Liberal Democrat Councillors and Don Foster MP met Katharine Tylko-Hill and other campaigners this morning [Saturday] to discuss the issue and launch a joint campaign to oppose the proposal to move these services to Bristol.

Speaking after the meeting, Don Foster MP said:

"This is clearly an issue about which local people have strong feelings. Many respondents to my recent NHS survey said they were against the idea. What is important is the effect this would have on the patients and I have seen no convincing evidence to show that Bath patients would benefit from having treatment for these cancers moved to Bristol.

"The government has come up with this proposal to fit in with their centralised plans rather than considering what is best for local people - we are standing up for local people and what's best for them."

Councillor Loraine Morgan-Brinkhurst added:

"The Primary Care Trust will be launching a consultation in mid October; we are pleased that in the meantime the plan to move these services to Bristol has been suspended following the pressure and recommendations from our members on the Council's Health Panel. Presentations made to Panel members by service users and concerned medical staff highlighted the strength of opinion against this proposal."

"The staff of the RUH are brilliant and provide first-class patient care so we cannot see that there would be any benefit to patients or staff by moving the services to Bristol. Indeed the uncertainty over the future of the services is bound to be causing additional worry to patients, who are already undergoing treatment which in itself is likely to be very stressful.

"I am aware that the plans for this move were drawn up some years ago and so cannot take into account any changes which have been made at the R.U.H. in recent years - not least the loss of other services which could affect the viability of the R.U.H. There are proposals that the R.U.H. wish to enhance the buildings in R.U.H. North which incorporates the William Budd ward and radiotherapy/oncology in the future, so it seems that the R.U.H. would be in a strong position to continue to provide this service."

Pamela Dagger, who has used the service at the RUH said: "We just can't understand why its being moved. The service at the RUH is second to none. It just doesn't make any sense!"