This meeting will centre around the proposed relocation of the Mount Vernon Cancer Centre (MVCC) to the Watford General Hospital site. The Committee will be asked to consider the rationale behind this relocation, as well as scrutinise the proposed consultation process.

The documents provided in the report pack highlight the interdependencies between various NHS Trusts and outline plans for the future management of the MVCC.

Relocation of Mount Vernon Cancer Centre

The most significant topic up for discussion is the proposed relocation of Mount Vernon Cancer Centre to the Watford General Hospital site.

The report pack states that this proposal is driven by concerns regarding patient safety, the state of the current buildings, and opportunities to improve patient care.

Quality and Patient Safety

The most pressing issue is the lack of adequate clinical infrastructure at the current Mount Vernon site. According to the report pack:

The Mount Vernon site does not have the right clinical services, which means the team cannot provide the range of treatments or quality of care they would like.

This lack of resources, especially critical care and high dependency services, makes it increasingly difficult to provide the necessary care for patients receiving newer cancer treatments, which often have a higher risk of side effects.

Buildings

The age and condition of the buildings at the current MVCC site also pose a significant challenge. The report states that:

In 2021, it was estimated that over 50% of the estate was in a poor condition and the backlog maintenance requirement was around £33m (around £14m of this deemed urgent).

These factors further highlight the need for a new facility.

Opportunities for Improvement

The proposed move to Watford General Hospital presents several opportunities for improvement.

Firstly, co-location with an acute hospital will allow for better integration of cancer care with other medical specialities. The report pack emphasises the importance of:

24-hour inpatient emergency access to the assessment of need for escalation of care for in-patients, particularly by the on-call on-site acute medical team and also by the acute surgical on-call on-site team

Secondly, the relocation could facilitate a more equitable distribution of services across the catchment area. The documents suggest the creation of a new chemotherapy unit in Hillingdon Hospital, expansion of chemotherapy at Northwick Park, and a networked radiotherapy unit in either Luton or Stevenage, potentially at Luton and Dunstable Hospital or Lister Hospital in Stevenage.

Future Management of Mount Vernon Cancer Centre

Another important topic on the meeting agenda is the future management of MVCC.

Proposed Management by UCLH

The report pack details the selection of University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (UCLH) as the preferred provider to manage MVCC in the future.

UCLH was selected as the preferred future provider to take over management of MVCC.

The reports highlight UCLH's experience in running specialist cancer services and their commitment to research and clinical trials.

This proposed transfer of management, however, is not a part of the public consultation.

Scrutiny of the Consultation Process

The Committee will also be examining the proposed process for the public consultation on these significant changes.

The reports lay out a proposed framework for scrutiny which includes:

• Engagement with a wide range of stakeholders, including patients, staff, and residents.
• A dedicated website and stakeholder management system.
• A series of themed meetings to discuss specific aspects of the proposals.
• Opportunities for Health Scrutiny Committees to provide input and feedback.

It is important to note that the reports suggest the consultation will be independently run and analysed.

This meeting of the MVCC Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee will be crucial in shaping the future of cancer care in the region.