Wandsworth calls on review to children’s cancer care decision

Wandsworth council is set to refer the controversial decision to move the Principal Treatment Centre (PTC) care directly to the new Secretary of State for Health. Five other local authorities where children currently receive specialist cancer care at St George’s in Tooting are also expected to submit their own referrals, as the next step of a coordinated cross-party campaign from Richmond, Merton, Kingston, Surrey and Sutton.

Leader of Wandsworth Council, Cllr Simon Hogg, said:

“We have opposed these plans to move specialist children’s cancer care from St George’s from the start.

“Our serious concerns remain – getting to Evelina hospital through central London traffic will be challenging at the best of times. Travelling by public transport is not an option for vulnerable children who are on immunosuppressant medication.

“So there has to be a better solution to these plans. We are calling on the Secretary of State to work with us, and six other local authorities, to look at ways to keep specialist care here at St George’s hospital.”

St George’s Hospital in Tooting has 25 years of experience in caring for children with cancer from across the south of England. The children’s cancer service currently provides  paediatric care to all of south London, most of Surrey, Kent, Medway, East Sussex and Brighton and Hove.

To join in the borough’s fight to save children’s cancer care at St George’s Hospital, click here.