Delay in announcing new cancer care unit

Planned centre tangled in red tape

A PLAN to transform cancer care in West Berkshire with a state-of-the-art, advanced care facility in Newbury appears to have become embroiled in red tape.

In January, the Newbury Weekly News reported that the new unit was under starters orders; the capital cost of building was secured and the rest was available in pledges and public support.

However, just as work was due to begin in the grounds of the West Berkshire Community Hospital, it was said that chiefs at the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust had ann-ounced they might pull the plug.

Some said that, despite being gifted the unit, the foundation trust did not want to be responsible for day-to-day running costs such as electricity bills. A formal decision was expected on Jan-uary 21. However, following our report, a decision has been repeatedly postponed.

Then, on March 4, the Newbury and District Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) released a statement suggesting plans to build the unit on top of a proposed new renal unit in the hospital grounds had been approved.

However, within hours this had been withdrawn and the CCG asked the NWN to delay reporting on the issue for up to a fortnight.

Our source said at the time: “The NWN article woke a few key people up to what was happening and stirred things up. There was a feeling that this was being brushed under the carpet... it would be a tragedy for West Berkshire if this did not go ahead at this stage, all for the sake of a few tens of thousands of pounds which, I’m sure, could be found somehow.”

Since then there has been no further announcement and the source said this week: “It’s like swimming through treacle – there are so many different NHS managers and departments that have to be consulted.”

Critics claim the current cancer care facilities in West Berkshire are unfit for purpose: the day care centre has no private areas and consultants see patients in the chapel instead; specialist nurses are based elsewhere; there is little space; there is a waiting list for users and chemotherapy is delivered from a mobile unit.

One supporter of the proposed new unit said: “This would be of significant benefit to all of West Berkshire... and the NHS wou-ldn’t even have to pay for it.

“It’s supported by the medical staff and would transform local cancer care.”