Have your say on plans to bring a world class cancer centre to Hertfordshire
Funding has been agreed to relocate Mount Vernon Cancer Centre to a new facility in Watford and the public can share their views later this month.
Plans to secure the future of specialist cancer services for more than two million people in the East of England and beyond have moved a step closer. An agreement on how to fund the capital for a new cancer centre has paved the way for a public consultation later this month.
Between January 19 and March 29, patients, staff, key stakeholders and the public will be invited to have their say on proposals to relocate the Mount Vernon Cancer Centre to a new, purpose-built facility next to Watford General Hospital. With plans already approved for a new Watford General Hospital, this proposal would add world class cancer services to the site.
Modern cancer care increasingly relies on the support of a range of on-site medical and surgical services, including Accident and Emergency and critical care. The new, purpose-built cancer centre would provide all of that essential access in modern facilities, along with more space for innovation, research and training. It would continue to serve patients across Hertfordshire, north west London, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire and east Berkshire.
Proposals include expanding chemotherapy, diagnostics and follow-up care in local hospitals, increasing chemotherapy at home, and reducing the need for patients to travel long distances for routine appointments. There will also be an option to find a second radiotherapy unit at either Luton and Dunstable Hospital or Lister Hospital in Stevenage.
This would be in addition to radiotherapy at the main cancer centre, and would improve access to radiotherapy for patients living in the north of the area currently served by Mount Vernon Cancer Centre.
Clare Panniker, Regional Director of NHS England in the East of England, said: “Mount Vernon Cancer Centre has a proud history and an exceptional team, but the facilities no longer meet the needs of today’s complex cancer care.
“These proposals would enable us to bring together two brilliant services to create a world-class centre of excellence, serving local communities with high-quality healthcare delivered by the same compassionate staff, for decades to come.”
The proposals for Mount Vernon Cancer Centre have been drawn up over the last few years with the help of patients and staff. It followed an independent review which revealed that specialised cancer services won’t be able to continue at the existing site. This has limited the number of patients the centre can treat and has led to some trials and treatments no longer being offered to patients.
Extending the redevelopment of Watford General Hospital to include the cancer centre means efficiencies could be made through joint construction. This would reduce the individual cost of both hospitals without increasing the overall cost to taxpayers.
The management of the services at Mount Vernon Cancer Centre would transfer from East and North Hertfordshire Teaching NHS Trust to University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (UCLH). This is subject to the outcome of consultation and any necessary due diligence.
David Probert, chief executive at UCLH, said: “We are delighted that funding has now been agreed for the proposal to relocate Mount Vernon Cancer Centre to a new purpose-built facility in Watford. We look forward to working with West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust and other partners following the outcome of the consultation, to deliver a long-awaited and sustainable future for this important centre.”
A £12m programme of enabling works at Watford General Hospital is already underway to clear the site ahead of the main hospital building. An agreement to incorporate the cancer centre in the works would allow for fast progress on design work.
Adam Sewell-Jones, chief executive at East and North Hertfordshire Teaching NHS Trust, said: "Our staff at Mount Vernon Cancer Centre deliver outstanding care, and a new cancer centre would allow them to provide the most modern, innovative treatments.
“Continuity and quality of care for our patients and staff remains our highest priority. We will also ensure there will be plenty of opportunities for patients and staff to ask questions about the proposals and express their views.”
The public consultation will open on January 19 until March 29, with both online and in-person opportunities to take part. The final timetable for the combined scheme will be considered after the consultation period.