‘Empty cancer centres at a time of record waits is a national scandal’
HEALTH chiefs have been criticised for failing to use cancer centres that could help thousands of patients and ease the ongoing treatment crisis.
World-leading oncologist Karol Sikora’s state of the art Rutherford Health suites are “gathering dust”, while key cancer targets continue to be missed.
Rutherford, set up in 2015, was forced to close its centres last year after financial difficulties during the pandemic.
But Professor Sikora insists they should be used to save lives.
The Daily Express columnist, a former World Health Organisation cancer director, said: “For once, let’s put politics and profits aside. Having been involved in the development of literally hundreds of cancer centres across the world, it’s no exaggeration to say the Rutherford centres are among the very best I have ever seen.
“To have them sitting empty at a time of record waits and unnecessary deaths is a national scandal.
“Roughly 20,000 patients a year could benefit from using the network, delivering radiotherapy, chemotherapy and state-of-the-art proton beam therapy.
“That extra boost in capacity would help to eradicate the backlog and save countless lives, whether that’s through the health service or in the form of a public-private partnership – potentially a mix of both.
“The facilities could be used to clear the backlog and then used in co-operation with a provider and NHS trusts. There has to be a way.
“It needs to be done. Tens of thousands of patients would benefit, cutting down waiting times and undoubtedly saving lives. Let’s see if a solution can be reached.”
Prof Sikora, 75, has written to Health Secretary Steve Barclay and NHS England boss Amanda Pritchard requesting a meeting to discuss opening the centres.
The Rutherford facilities were built to treat insurance-backed and selfpay patients alongside NHS patients, where commissioned to do so. NHS England said: “The NHS has purchased just under 200 brand new scanners over the last year, including previous Rutherford assets which met NHS specifications, as part of a £2.3billion investment.”