Farron pushes Prime Minister to support radiotherapy campaign

Following Saturday's march with the Westmorland Gazette, where over 2000 local residents paraded through the streets of Kendal in the campaign to return radiotherapy treatment services to Westmorland General Hospital, South Lakes MP Tim Farron urged Prime Minister, David Cameron to support the campaign.

Speaking in Prime Minister's Questions this lunchtime, Tim called on the Prime Minister to meet with Tim and representatives of the hospital trust as well as the commissioning board to ensure 'swift and positive action' to bring full cancer treatment services to the South Lakes. The Prime Minister agreed to arranging a meeting with the relevant parties and the Secretary of State for Health.

The National Radiotherapy Advisory Group has advised that patients should have to travel no more than 45 minutes for radiotherapy treatment. No part of the South Lakes is within 45 minutes of the Royal Preston Hospital - and some patients face journeys of over two hours each way. Currently patients requiring radiotherapy from anywhere in the South Lakes and Furness peninsula have to make the gruelling journey to the Rosemere unit in Preston - sometimes on a daily basis.

Commenting Tim said: "Saturday's march was a great success and I was extremely proud to be marching alongside so many people as we stepped up our campaign to return radiotherapy services to Westmorland General Hospital.

"I will be delighted to meet with the Health Secretary along with the commissioning board and representative from the University Hospitals of Morecambe NHS Trust to try and take the next steps towards bringing further relief to cancer patients across the South Lakes through a new radiotherapy unit."