Increase in county cancer services welcomed

Harriet Ernstsons

10 June 2010

PLANS to bring more cancer services into Worcestershire have been welcomed by leading charity Macmillan Cancer Support.
NHS Worcestershire's four-year draft document can be scrutinised by Redditch residents during a public consultation at the Town Hall at 10am on Tuesday, June 22, and includes measures to ensure less patients have to travel to Wolverhampton, Coventry or Cheltenham for treatment.
Macmillan general manager David Crosby said: "When you have cancer, travelling to receive treatment can create an extra burden and make life more difficult at a time when you really want things to be easier.
"Travelling can become expensive, take up a lot of time and can also be difficult in a practical way, when a patient is experiencing side effects from their treatment.
"Whilst it is important to ensure patients receive the best quality treatment, if this can be delivered closer to the patient's home then Macmillan would very much welcome this."
Simon Gartland, NHS Worcestershire's cancer commissioner, said cancer services were clearly very important to everyone in Worcestershire and the way those services were arranged was complex.
"It is therefore vital that our draft cancer strategy is well understood and supported by the people of Worcestershire, so I would encourage people to participate in this consultation process."
The deadline for residents to give their comments and responses is Friday, August 6.
For more information, contact NHS Worcestershire's Community Engagement Team on 01905 733745 or 01905 733874, or to see the document go to www.worcestershire.nhs.uk/how-to-get-involved/consultations.aspx.

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