London hospital drops chemotherapy due to nursing shortage

[Northerner]

One of the biggest NHS trusts is to stop providing chemotherapy at one of its hospitals because it has too few specialist cancer nurses to staff the unit.

The Cedar Centre at King George hospital in Ilford, east London, will cease provision from 12 November because four of its nurses have quit and two others have gone on maternity leave.

It is thought to be the first time the NHS’s widespread staffing problems have led to a specialist cancer unit no longer being able to offer a vital service such as chemotherapy.

More than 500 patients a year received their cancer treatment there, and in future patients will have to go to Queen’s hospital in nearby Romford instead.

https://www.theguardian.com/society...lford-drops-chemotherapy-nursing-shortage-nhs

 

[mikeyB]

When I lived on Mull, chemotherapy like as no would be done at the Beatson Hospital in Glasgow, a three hour trip. Ilford to Romford is a bus ride. Big deal.

 

[Amigo]

When I lived on Mull, chemotherapy like as no would be done at the Beatson Hospital in Glasgow, a three hour trip. Ilford to Romford is a bus ride. Big deal.

I don’t think that’s the point however Mike. This is an expensive and much needed chemotherapy centre and the lack of appropriate staffing is becoming endemic in the NHS.
When you choose to live on Mull, there has to be a recognition that certain services are not geographically close but it would be galling if they were and couldn’t be properly staffed.

 

[grovesy]

The way I read it they only provided a service a couple of days a week anyway, and only for some types of treatment. They were planning to centralise the service anyway, they have just brought plans forward.