Cross party group of council leaders condemn removal of children’s cancer care from St George’s Hospital

The NHS have confirmed on Thursday 14 March that paediatric cancer treatments are to end at St George’s and instead be provided at the Evelina Hospital in central London.

The cross-party group of council leaders from all three main parties – Labour, Conservative and Liberal Democrat - say the decision is short-sighted, goes against parents’ wishes and risks the loss of clinical expertise built up over 25 years at St George’s. They also have serious concerns about potential travel difficulties for child cancer patients and their families due to the Evelina’s location in central London.

The council leaders have jointly written to the Health Secretary urging her to reverse the decision.

Wandsworth Council Leader Simon Hogg, who has led Wandsworth’s campaign to save children’s cancer care at St George’s, said: “This is a hugely disappointing decision, and shows that little attention has been paid to the families of children with cancer, who have overwhelmingly voiced their opposition to these proposals.

“St George’s has been offering high-quality cancer care to children for the past 25 years. The removal of services risks losing that clinical expertise and could have a serious knock-on effect on other specialist treatments the hospital provides.

“Our fight to keep children’s cancer care at St George’s does not end here. We will do everything in our power to make sure the NHS and government re-consider this decision and do what is best for families.”

St George’s supports child patients from across south west London, Surrey, Brighton and Hove, East Sussex, Kent and Medway.

For more information about the council’s campaign to save children’s cancer care services at St George’s, please visit https://www.wandsworth.gov.uk/stgeorges