Funding still priority as public consultation set to start on relocation of cancer services for Bedfordshire patients

NHS England has been working jointly with partners to lead a review of Mount Vernon cancer centre services at Northwood, according to a report to Luton Borough Council’s scrutiny health and social care review group.

The capital costs associated with the relocation, including networked radiotherapy, are in the region of £400m at 2024 prices, said the report.

“Assessment of the costs of dispersing the service to cancer centres in Cambridge, Oxford and London showed a similarly high level of capital would be needed, as the capacity isn’t available elsewhere.”

A 2019 independent clinical advisory group stated: “There’s increasing concern as to whether high quality, safe and sustainable oncology services can continue to be delivered within the current organisational framework, and there’s an urgent need to address this concern.”

A proposed solution was to relocate Mount Vernon to an acute hospital site, with Watford being identified as the preferred solution, explained the report.

“The independent panel also recommended the cancer centre should be run by a specialist cancer provider and not a district general hospital. No source of capital had been identified.

“Following a process, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (ULCH) was identified as the preferred future provider to manage the service, once capital is identified to proceed with the relocation.

“The East of England clinical senate reviewed the proposals in 2021. Its report backed the recommendation for a single-site specialist cancer centre on the Watford Hospital site, as well as improved local access to services with chemotherapy and radiotherapy at linked locations.

“A UCLH capital request was unsuccessful, but talks have continued with national colleagues. These included a thorough assessment of potential alternatives and the implications of not proceeding.

“Capital funding routes for the preferred option continue to be explored. A national planning committee agreed this is a priority and the proposals should be consulted on in public.”

BLMK integrated care board (ICB) is a significant partner in the development of the proposals, with around 12 per cent of the total Mount Vernon patient population (1,491 BLMK patients in 2023/24), added the report.

“The majority of these patients are from Luton and Central Bedfordshire, with 726 registered with a GP within Luton borough attending the centre in 2023/24.

“A further 704 patients attended from Central Bedfordshire and 46 from Bedford borough. Luton and Dunstable Hospital is one of the site options for the radiotherapy unit.

“Luton has below average one-year and five-year cancer survival rates. One year survival for patients in the area served by Mount Vernon ranges from 69.3 per cent in Luton to 78.3 per cent in Barnet.”

Head of partnerships and engagement with NHS England Jessamy Kinghorn said: “We want our population to have access to the latest treatment.

“The number of patients attending Mount Vernon from Luton has grown by 25 per cent during the last five years.

“We still don’t have a cheque for the amount of money required. It’s recognised this has to be solved. Not moving the cancer centre isn’t an option.”