Keep children’s cancer care services at the Royal Marsden

The Leader of the London Borough of Sutton, Councillor Ruth Dombey, has joined other council leaders calling on the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care to reverse the decision to move paediatric cancer services away from the Royal Marsden to the Evelina Hospital (part of Guys and St Thomas’) in central London.

In response to the decision, a cross-party group of seven council leaders from across south west London and Surrey say the decision is short-sighted, goes against parents’ wishes and risks the loss of clinical expertise built up over many years at the Royal Marsden and St. George’s hospitals. They also have serious concerns about potential travel difficulties for child cancer patients and their families due to the Evelina’s location in central London.

Councillor Ruth Dombey and the other council leaders have jointly written to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care urging her to reverse the decision.

Leader of the London Borough of Sutton, Councillor Ruth Dombey said: “This is a disappointing and very worrying decision which will leave many families frantically concerned about how they will continue to access the care their children so desperately need.

“The Royal Marsden is renowned for offering high-quality cancer care to children over many years. We fear that the removal of services risks losing that clinical expertise and could have a serious knock-on effect on other specialist treatments the hospital provides. The decision will also impact on cancer services presently delivered by St George’s and will leave residents in South West London unable to access children’s cancer services locally.

‘’We will do everything in our power to make sure the NHS and government re-consider this decision and do what is best for families.”