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Clatterbridge Centre for Oncology

I am happy to reinforce that statement. More action is needed to address the provision of radiotherapy services for residents north of the Mersey. I remind my hon. Friend the Member for Wirral, South that clinical reports, such as the one produced by Dr. Cottier of the national cancer services analysis team review, suggest that the majority—67 per cent.—of cancer sufferers requiring treatment live north of the Mersey. The additional services at Aintree are currently estimated to provide only 30 per cent. of the population needs from the north of the Mersey, and the remaining 70 per cent. will still need to travel to Clatterbridge for their treatment, typically on numerous occasions. I am also informed that population and disease trend analysis suggests that demand for radiotherapy in Merseyside will rise by 26 per cent. by 2016, from a 2006 baseline. It is for these reasons that the Royal Liverpool University hospital has been identified as the preferred second location for additional radiotherapy services. I am informed that this proposal was put forward after considering the need for greater alignment of associated clinical services and specialist multidisciplinary teams for cancer. I also understand that the proposal has the potential to improve the strength of cancer research in Merseyside and Cheshire by developing closer links with the university of Liverpool and its Cancer Research UK centre, which, as my hon. Friend will agree, is an enormously valuable prospect.