Less than half of people who responded to a public consultation on plans to relocate the Mount Vernon Cancer Centre supported the proposed move to Watford General Hospital.
Mount Vernon, based in Northwood, treats around 13,000 cancer patients each year from across Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Berkshire, parts of London and beyond.
NHS leaders say the current site faces significant challenges because it does not have access to key acute hospital services such as A&E, cardiology and critical care.
Why the move is being proposed
According to NHS officials, the lack of acute services on site can lead to delays in treatment, disruptions to care and limitations on the types of treatment available to patients.
Patients undergoing cancer treatment can often have other medical conditions, including heart problems, diabetes, or complex health needs that require specialist hospital support.
Currently, some patients have to be transferred away from Mount Vernon when they need services that are not available on site.
Officials also say the existing facilities limit the centre’s ability to offer some advanced treatments and participate in early-stage research trials.
New cancer centre planned for Watford
The proposal would see Mount Vernon Cancer Centre relocated to a new purpose-built facility at Watford General Hospital, which is expected to be redeveloped through the Government’s New Hospital Programme.
Alongside the move, plans include expanding cancer services closer to patients’ homes.
These proposals include:
- More diagnostic appointments and treatments at local hospitals
- Greater opportunities for chemotherapy at home
- Blood tests carried out at local hospitals
- Chemotherapy facilities at Hillingdon Hospital
- Expanded cancer treatment capacity at Northwick Park Hospital
- Additional radiotherapy services at Hammersmith Hospital
Further options could also include networked radiotherapy services at either the Lister Hospital in Stevenage or the Luton and Dunstable Hospital.
Consultation results revealed
A 10-week public consultation was held earlier this year to gather views on the proposals.
The results were presented to a meeting of the Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee (JHOSC) on Tuesday 16 June.
According to a report presented to the committee, 48 per cent of the 2,222 respondents supported relocating Mount Vernon to Watford, while 42 per cent opposed the plans.
One of the main concerns raised was travel.
Around 45 per cent of respondents felt Watford General Hospital would be harder to reach than the current Northwood site, while 37 per cent believed access would improve.
NHS responds to transport concerns
Dr Jane Halpin, programme director and managing director for pan-ICB commissioning in the East of England, acknowledged that transport was one of the most common concerns raised during the consultation.
Speaking after the scrutiny meeting, she said people had based their views on current transport links rather than what could be available by the time the new centre opens.
Dr Halpin said she believed transport networks would adapt to meet demand if the new cancer centre is built in Watford.
She highlighted the possibility of a shuttle service between Bushey railway station and the hospital and pointed to the availability of parking at the Watford General site.
Why Watford was selected
Documents presented to the committee state that Watford General Hospital was chosen because it already provides the acute hospital services needed to support a specialist cancer centre.
The NHS says it is the closest acute hospital to the current Mount Vernon site and has enough space to accommodate a purpose-built cancer facility while supporting future expansion of specialist cancer services and research.
Travel modelling also suggested that moving services to Watford would result in the smallest increase in travel times compared with other viable acute hospital locations.
What happens next?
The consultation findings will now be used to help shape the NHS’s decision-making business case, which is expected to be reviewed by the end of September.
Funding for the project would then need to be secured through Watford General Hospital’s bid under the Government’s New Hospital Programme.
Dr Halpin said a new cancer centre could theoretically open in 2033, although she described that timeline as “optimistic”.
At present, construction work on the wider redevelopment of Watford General Hospital is not expected to begin until 2032, with completion currently forecast for 2038.
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Deborah is a Local Democracy Reporter covering news across Hertfordshire, with a strong focus on councils, local government and public policy. Her reporting includes county council decisions, council tax, spending pressures, legal and regulatory issues, healthcare stories including junior doctors, and community projects affecting local residents.
