MP calls for immediate Government intervention after new figures reveal almost 150 cancer operations cancelled in Morecambe Bay since March
News from Tim Farron MP
8th September 2020
MP calls for immediate Government intervention after new figures reveal almost 150 cancer operations cancelled in Morecambe Bay since March
South Lakes MP Tim Farron has made fresh calls for Government intervention after new figures uncovered that almost 150 cancer operations have been cancelled in South Cumbria and Lancaster since the beginning of lockdown.
A Freedom of Information (FOI) request sent to University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust from Tim's office found that 148 cancer operations have been cancelled from March to August.
Meanwhile the same FOI request sent to North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust revealed that 41 operations had been cancelled.
Earlier this summer, BBC's Panorama programme reported that the lives of tens of thousands of cancer patients could be lost because of delays to treatment caused by COVID-19.
Tim said: "These figures are deeply troubling and highlight the severe knock-on effect this pandemic has had on cancer patients.
"As chair of the All-Party Group on Radiotherapy I've written a joint letter to the Prime Minister, signed by over 100 MPs representing every party in Parliament, calling for a significant boost to cancer services to deal with the huge treatment backlog that has been created by the COVID-19 crisis.
"The Government's plans to get cancer services back up and running by the end of the year are nowhere near enough - we need action now if we are to prevent thousands of unnecessary cancer deaths.".