Farron: Extra NHS Funding Means Kendal Radiotherapy Must Go Ahead

With the government announcing significant increases in NHS funding, Tim Farron MP has insisted that there can be no excuses for not pressing ahead with plans for radiotherapy provision in Kendal.

As part of its Spending Review, due to be announced on Wednesday, the government has announced that front-line NHS services in England will get a £3.8bn, above-inflation cash injection next year. The funding boost represents a rise of nearly 4% on NHS England's £101bn front-line budget this year. By 2020, the NHS will receive an additional £10 billion a year.

In January, Tim secured an agreement from the Treasury that they will fund the £15 million project to bring a radiotherapy unit to Kendal, subject to the Department of Health supporting the project. The unit will be a satellite unit of the Rosemere Cancer centre of Preston but will be based at Westmorland General Hospital. However, the present bid for the service is currently being held up by NHS England.

Tim has written to the Health Secretary to demand that the present bid be considered and approved without further delay.

The national radiotherapy advisory group recommends that patients should not have to travel for longer than 45 minutes in order to access services, yet almost no South Lakes residents live within 45 minutes of the nearest unit in Preston.

Tim said: "In light of the government's announcement of additional funding for NHS England, there can be no reason for the radiotherapy project not to be given the green light.

"At present, South Lakes residents have to travel intolerable distances to access radiotherapy services. I want to see the decision made to bring these services here to Kendal, so that those in need of treatment have easy access to high-quality services without spending hours travelling each day."