Radiotherapy centre for Kendal's Westmorland General Hospital moves a step closer (From The Westmorland Gazette)

Radiotherapy centre for Kendal's Westmorland General Hospital moves a step closer

4:11pm Wednesday 13th March 2013 in News By Allan Tunningley

A KENDAL radiotherapy service is one step closer after a local MP took the fight to Westminster.

South Lakes MP Tim Farron has met Jeremy Hunt, Secretary of State for Health, to press the case for a cancer unit at Westmorland General Hospital.

It followed a march through Kendal by more than 2,000 local people last year, as well as a petition which gained more than 10,000 signatures.

Chemotherapy has now successfully opened at Kendal, but the campaign for radiotherapy continues.

Mr Farron said: “We won’t be celebrating until radiotherapy opens at Westmorland General Hospital, but tonight we have made a very important step forward in our campaign.

“The champagne is in the fridge, but not quite open yet.”

Government guidelines state that cancer patients should not have to travel more than 45 minutes to receive radiotherapy - yet the Rosemere Unit in Preston is the nearest one for South Lakeland residents.

Mr Hunt will now take Mr Farron’s comments to GP commissioners, with a decision expected in a few months.