MP for North East Hertfordshire, Sir Oliver Heald, has secured a debate in Parliament on the provision of radiotherapy services for patients in North East Hertfordshire. Cancer patients in Letchworth, Baldock, and the southern area of the constituency find it hard to access radiotherapy services because of the long and tiring journeys that they have to make to the nearest treatment centre, in Mount Vernon Hospital in Hillingdon. Sir Oliver is calling for a satellite radiotherapy centre for the Lister Hospital in Stevenage to prevent patients from having to undertake these long trips. He is one of three MPs campaigning on this, with support from Stephen McPartland MP and Peter Lilley MP.

Sir Oliver had already called on the Leader of the House of Commons to provide time for a Government debate on the subject, and is currently collecting signatures for a petition which he will present to the House and to which the Government will have to respond.

He has now secured a backbench debate, which will be at 4.30pm on Wednesday 4th February, and will include a speech by a Minister, setting out the Government’s position.

Commenting, Sir Oliver said, “I am delighted to have secured this debate. Cancer patients in this constituency currently have to travel long distances for radiotherapy treatment, often on consecutive days. These difficult trips are exhausting, and I look forward to being able to put the case to the Government, on behalf of the people of North-East Hertfordshire.”

Follow Sir Oliver on Twitter at www.twitter.com/OliverHealdMP
Read his blog at www.oliverheald.wordpress.com