§ Gregory BarkerTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many paediatric oncology units there are within the NHS; [81932]
(2) if he will make a statement on NHS funding for pediatric oncology units within the NHS. [81934]
§ Ms BlearsSpecialist cancer care for children is concentrated in a national network of paediatric oncology centres, under the umbrella of the United Kingdom children's cancer study group (UKCCSG). There are 16 National Health Service paediatric oncology centres in England. These are:
- St James's University Hospital, Leeds
- Alder Hey Children's Hospital, Liverpool
- Royal Manchester Children's Hospital, Manchester
- Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle
- Sheffield Children's Hospital, Sheffield
- Birmingham Children's Hospital, Birmingham
- Addenbrookes Hospital, Cambridge
- Leicester Royal Infirmary, Leicester
- Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham
- St Bartholomews & The Royal London NHS Trust, London
- Great Ormond Street, London
- University College, London
- The Royal Marsden, Surrey
- John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford
- Bristol Royal Hospital for Children, Bristol
- Southampton General Hospital, Southampton
Paediatric oncology centres provide specialist and complex treatment for children with cancer. In addition, there are paediatric oncology shared care units around the country that can provide support, including certain 217W investigations and treatment, nearer to the child's home. This reduces travelling and disruption to families, without compromising quality of care or outcome and provides support to the paediatric oncology centres. The Department does not hold details of this type of unit.
The Cancer Plan set out the Government's commitment that an extra £570 million would be made available for cancer services by 2003–4. The Department does not collect figures on the cost of services provided by the NHS in a way that enables an accurate estimate of funding for paediatric oncology to be calculated.