South Cumbrian radiotherapy unit ‘difficult to plan for’, says NHS
MP Tim Farron says there is a strong case for bringing cancer treatment closer to patients in South Cumbria
A radiotherapy unit which is being called for by a local MP has been called ‘difficult to plan for’ by the NHS.
Tim Farron has been trying to make the cancer therapy available in Kendal for a number of years.
The Westmorland and Lonsdale MP says the nearest radiotherapy for many of his constituents is at Royal Preston Hospital, which is a significant way to travel for treatment which some people have daily.
Mr Farron wants a satellite facility of Royal Preston Hospital to be based in Kendal to provide greater access for people in the area and has now written to NHS’ Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board (ICB) to call for a study.
But the ICB says with no capital currently planned for the scheme, it is ‘difficult to plan for’.
Mr Farron said: “Even from Kendal, which is about as close as you can get in the constituency, it is an hour there and an hour back, and therefore longer if you’re travelling from elsewhere.
“For years I have been trying to build the case for there being a radiotherapy unit at Kendal.”
Mr Farron said around 650 people travel from Cumbria to Preston for their radiotherapy, adding there is a ‘strong case’ for a radiotherapy machine being based in Kendal, if not two.
He said: “The hospital trusts, Morecambe Bay and Preston, have been positive about this, but it will depend on if the NHS ICB for Lancashire and South Cumbria wants to commission it.
“I have written formally to the ICB to do an investigation into ‘equity of access’ – it is a boring term, but essentially asks the question: are we being disadvantaged in south Cumbria because we have to travel so far?”
He said the international target for cancer patients receiving radiotherapy is 53 per cent, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
But the figure is only at 35 per cent in the UK as a whole, and even lower in Cumbria at 29 per cent.
Mr Farron said: “We are the worst place in the worst country in the western world.”
The provision of radiotherapy will transfer to the NHS ICB in April 2027, but currently is funded and commissioned by NHS England Specialised Commissioning.
Professor Craig Harris, chief commissioning officer for NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board, said the radiotherapy unit has been discussed ‘many times’, but said it is ‘difficult to plan for’ with ‘no operational capital currently identified’.
He said: “We would welcome working with Mr Farron to see if he could support the identification of capital and revenue funding to enable us to actualise our desire to potentially provide services in South Cumbria.
“However, there are limitations and with no operational capital currently identified, this is difficult to plan for and this would need to be carefully considered as a part of next steps.”
Prof Harris added: “We would want to ensure our populations have access to radiotherapy services, and we recognise that the vision for radiotherapy is to provide high-quality services as close to our population as possible.
“There is an opportunity following the integration of specialised commissioning into local ICBs.
“This will enable us to undertake some long-term planning for our local need, something that has not always been done across our region.”
He said the NHS needs to balance travel times for patients with ‘clinical quality and safety’, saying travel times in Cheshire, Greater Manchester and Merseyside are ‘not too dissimilar’.