Cancer patients in South Cumbria left in limbo while Government drags its feet over report

South Lakes MP Tim Farron is urging the Government to release its study which looks into the effect that long travel times have on a cancer patient’s ability to recover.

During a debate in Parliament back in January, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health Jackie Doyle-Price said a study is being conducted by Public Health England on whether travel times affect cancer treatment outcomes.

The minister promised that the report would be published in the Spring but as of yet there have been no signs of the report.

Tim has written to Public Health England, urging them to release the report.

Tim said: “The promise of this study back in January gave our campaign for a satellite radiotherapy unit at Westmorland General Hospital a great cause for optimism.

“However, eight months later and we’ve had nothing from the Government about when this will be made available, while many people in our area continue to be forced to make 2-3 hour round trips to Preston five days a week for weeks on end to receive life-saving treatment. 

“We know that the evidence suggesting that cancer patients who have to travel very long distances may have worse outcomes already exists, so the Government must stop sitting on this report and publish it immediately.”