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Clatterbridge Centre for Oncology

I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Wirral, South (Ben Chapman) on securing the debate. He has shown an acute interest in the welfare of his local health services, and in particular the cancer services, and I commend him for the dedication with which he serves the needs of his constituents. I am also pleased that my hon. Friends the Members for Wirral, West (Stephen Hesford), for Alyn and Deeside (Mark Tami) and for Liverpool, Walton (Mr. Kilfoyle) are present. On 3 December 2007, the Government launched the cancer reform strategy, which sets out plans to improve further and develop cancer services across England over the next five years. It includes measures to improve cancer prevention, speed up the diagnosis and treatment of cancer, reduce inequalities, ensure that care is delivered in the most appropriate settings, and ensure that patients can access effective new treatments quickly. I am sure that we all can remember that at the time when our Labour Government came to power, patients with cancer were having to wait for many months, and sometimes a year or more, for treatment. The latest published data show that 93.9 per cent. of patients diagnosed with cancer start their treatment at the Clatterbridge Centre for Oncology within 62 days of referral from their GP. That represents remarkable progress, and I commend the efforts of the staff in making it possible, backed, of course, by the financial commitment of the Government. We must not be complacent, however, and we must do more to achieve even more progress. I have listened carefully to the arguments of my hon. Friend the Member for Wirral, South in support of the CCO. I am informed, as was stated at our meeting, that the Merseyside and Cheshire Cancer Network undertook on behalf of local NHS organisations a review of how and where patients in the area who require cancer treatment might receive it in future. Its purpose was to ensure that the aspirations of our Government's cancer reform strategy are achieved locally. The current situation in Merseyside is that most patients who require cancer treatment and who live north of the River Mersey travel to the CCO for that treatment. I am also advised—this is very worrying—that residents living north of the River Mersey experience the highest rate of cancer deaths in the locality. Indeed, the figures are some of the highest nationally.