Agenda item

Ms Jessamy Kinghorn, Head of Partnership and Engagement at NHS England / Improvement (NHSEI) - East of England, advised that the report provided Members with a brief update on the Mount Vernon Cancer Centre (MVCC) strategic review.  Following the independent clinical review, it had been proposed that a new cancer centre be located in Watford with a chemotherapy centre at Hillingdon Hospital and a satellite radiotherapy centre in the north of the catchment area. 

Although having the expertise under one roof at Watford was welcomed, concern was expressed that a catchment area with a 2.4m population seemed high.  Ms Kinghorn advised that MVCC covered three NHS regions and that a 2.4m population was not excessively large. 

An expression of interest had been submitted for the new cancer centre to be considered as one of the eight new hospital schemes which would added to the Government’s health infrastructure plan.  It was thought that this would be the best opportunity to secure capital to fund the project.  The long listing of the expressions of interest would be undertaken in the autumn with a decision expected in the spring of 2022.  In the meantime, NHSEI would continue to work on the busines case. 

A significant amount of patient engagement activity had been undertaken and support for the MVCC proposals had been received from clinicians and the East of England Senate.  Insofar as Hillingdon was concerned, there had been good engagement from local residents in the focus group activity with a mixed response.  During the engagement activity, concern had been expressed that some patients had a 100 mile round trip for blood tests or chemotherapy.  As a direct result, it had been proposed that blood tests be made available in primary care settings closer to home (where possible) and that a chemotherapy centre be established at Hillingdon Hospital.  Enhancing capacity at Hammersmith Hospital would also be included as part of the plan. 

Mr Richard Ellis, Joint Borough Director at NWL CCG, advised that, since the pandemic had started, all GP practices were now providing blood tests either individually or providing a shared service with other practices.  This had been well received by patients and would reduce the number of routine blood test appointments needed at MVCC.  However, urgent blood tests would continue to be undertaken at MVCC. 

With regard the creation of a chemotherapy centre at Hillingdon Hospital, it was thought that around 356 patients would be able to use this service each year (this equated to 3-5 chairs per annum).  It was thought that some tumours (such as some lung tumours) were so rare that they would need specialist treatment elsewhere to ensure that these patients received the best possible care.  In addition, some Hillingdon patients were likely to choose to go to Northwick Park or one of the Imperial sites rather than travel to Watford. 

It had been recognised that the MVCC catchment area included significant areas of deprivation.  Luton was an area of deprivation and had been identified as having some of the worst outcomes.  Thorough impact assessments had been undertaken and previous learning had been used to work through transport and access issues that these areas of deprivation might face.  Consideration was now being given to identifying how travel routes could be made more accessible and to look at what else could be done to reduce the barriers to treatment (it was recognised that some individuals were not having treatment because of travel issues). 

Ms Kinghorn noted that Watford had better transport links than the current MVCC site.  As Watford would be a longer journey for some patients, the ability to have blood tests and chemotherapy more locally would reduce the impact of this increased distance. 

Insofar as ensuring that patients did not fall through the cracks during a transition of services from MVCC to Watford, a transition plan would need to be put in place.  A transition plan would ensure that an individual plan was in place for each patient and that appropriate signage was also in place.  However, this stage was still a long way off and funding would need to be secured before this level of detail was developed. 

Although the development of a new cancer centre at Watford was the preferred option, this would be reliant on securing the associated funding.  If unsuccessful in the expression of interest process, investigations would need to be undertaken into alternative sources of funding or alternative action.  But, whatever happened, a capital solution would be needed to ensure that cancer services continued to be provided to patients. 

RESOLVED:  That the discussion be noted.