West Norfolk cancer patients could be sent to Norwich for surgery

Cancer patients in west Norfolk could have to travel 40 miles for treatment under proposals aimed at keeping the area's hospital safe through the winter.

Union officials say 70 staff at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King's Lynn have been "put on notice" ahead of a board meeting later this month to consider the plans.

It could mean patients are told their elective cancer surgeries have been moved 40 miles away to the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital.

And theatre staff from the QEH will be expected to travel across the county to perform operations.

In September, the Queen Elizabeth Hospital was placed in special measures following a Care Quality Commission inspection which found its accident and emergency department, medical care and maternity services were inadequate.

The trust decided to close 12 medical and 12 elective surgical beds to help it better cope with winter pressures - and promised to bring in extra agency staff to help boost capacity.

But in a letter sent to staff yesterday, seen by ITV News Anglia, the hospital says despite those measures "we do not anticipate having the capacity to continue with our elective programme throughout the winter. This includes our elective cancer programme".

It blames problems recruiting enough nurses in recent months and says "for reasons of quality and safety, the executive team do not want to take any decisions which dilute staffing levels to a position where they include a greater number of agency staff than is absolutely necessary".

The QEH confirmed the proposals would be considered at its November board meeting.

Unison said it believed the root of the problems at the QEH "lie in Westminster" and urged the board to reject the plan, adding: "The people of west Norfolk deserve better than this."