05/01/2010

Paul Bates, Chief Executive of NHS Worcestershire, yesterday announced plans for a new Cancer Strategy for the County. In a document that will be considered by the NHS Worcestershire Board this month, before going to a year long public consultation, proposals will be put forward to develop an extended cancer care unit in Worcestershire to be delivered in partnership with the Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust.

Worcestershire patients requiring treatment for cancer currently travel to Wolverhampton, Coventry or Cheltenham depending on where they live in the county. The proposals in the new draft Strategy would see much of this treatment centralised and fewer people having to travel long distances.

Robin Walker, the Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for Worcester has been campaigning for improved cancer care in Worcestershire and supported the County getting its own radiotherapy centre. He has also been supporting Worcestershire's bid to keep treating head and neck cancer locally.

The announcement came on the same day that Conservative Leader David Cameron announced the first chapter of the Conservative draft election manifesto focusing on health issues. Key to the Conservative pledges is to protect spending on the NHS and to encourage local trusts to focus on patients over central targets.

Today Robin said,

"I think the core focus of this strategy on providing more care locally is absolutely right. I have often pointed out the importance this in the past and the challenges for families who have to travel long distances to support loved ones. I will continue to push for the strongest possible local cancer care services and if I am elected as Member of Parliament for Worcester I would support the PCT and the Acute trust in their aims and keep fighting for local services."

Notes to editors

NHS Worcestershire's website is here:

http://www.worcestershire.nhs.uk/home.aspx

The Conservative draft health manifesto can be found at:
http://issuu.com/conservatives/docs/drafthealthmanifesto