THE future of cancer treatment at Mount Vernon Hospital received a boost this week when local health professionals issued a statement saying that 'a significant cancer service should remain'.

Hillingdon Primary Care Trust (PCT) made its comments following consultations with residents who voiced the view that the centre should not be allowed to close.

The PCT has forwarded its comments to the London Regional Office of the NHS which is collating reports from all concerned PCTs before reaching a final decision on the document, which will be put out for consultation on the future provision of cancer care services.

Hillingdon PCT said: 'If the Cancer Centre was moved in the future to a site in Hertfordshire, the PCT believes that a significant cancer service should remain at Mount Vernon. Supporting the view that patients needing palliative care should not have to travel for longer than one hour, local NHS organisations support the need for work to be done to look into retaining a satellite palliative radiotherapy centre at the hospital.'

Hillingdon Primary NHS Trust chief executive Graeme Betts said: "We are fully committed to Mount Vernon Hospital continuing to provide a wide range of health care services, including cancer services, in the future.

"The debate over the next few months will be about the actual shape these services will take."

However, the Northwood-based hospital faces closure as the NHS considers moving cancer services to a centre in Hertfordshire.

Campaigner Mike Turner, chairman of pressure group Community Voice, took little encouragement from the PCT's comments. "The PCT is a very small voice as it only speaks for Hillingdon people," he said.

Research has shown that 14 per cent of patients who attend the hospital for chemotherapy and 10 per cent of those who visit for radiotherapy are from Hillingdon. However, 43 per cent of chemotherapy patients and 32 per cent of radiotherapy came from Hertfordshire.