New Hope For Head And Neck Cancer Surgery At Royal

10.54.00am BST (GMT +0100) Tue 30th Jun 2009

A letter from the Chair of Three Counties Cancer Network (3CCN) to Primary Care Trust bosses has opened the door for the retention of head and neck cancer surgery at Worcester Royal. 3CCN recently took the controversial decision to transfer all surgery to Gloucester, but have since been deluged with opposition to the move from the public, cancer patients, surgeons, consultants and nursing staff.

Now they have agreed to commission a National Cancer Team professor to undertake a more detailed report.

Local Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate Richard Burt, who recently wrote to the Chair of 3CCN calling for the retention of surgery at Worcester said: "I am delighted that there is now hope for the future for head and neck cancer surgery at Worcester Royal.

"The appointment of Professor Mike Richards from the National Cancer Team means the door is still open and we must continue to fight for the best cancer care possible within the county.

"It would be a travesty to lose the expertise built up in over a decade at Worcester Royal. I will be meeting with cancer patients locally to help progress their campaign."