Why do we need to make changes?

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Photo of damage to Mount Vernon Cancer Centre roof

Many of the buildings are not in a good state of repair, and concerns have been raised in relation to the long-term clinical sustainability of the Cancer Centre.

As well as ageing buildings, there are limited support facilities on site. For example, there are no high dependency or intensive care beds so patients who become very poorly are sent in an emergency ambulance to Watford General Hospital, or other nearby hospitals.

The limited support at the site creates challenges for the patients and staff, resulting in many patients receiving treatment in a number of different places because of this. As cancer treatment becomes more advanced and as demand for cancer treatment grows, this is becoming less sustainable for patients at Mount Vernon.

Some newer treatments and research trials have high levels of toxicity, and whilst the benefits in treating cancer might be greater, there is more risk of side effects that require the right care. Without the support of services such as high dependency or intensive care, patients will not have access to the latest cancer treatments.

As people live longer, more people with cancer are also living with other illnesses or conditions which require treatment alongside their cancer treatment. This cannot be done at Mount Vernon.

  • Staff have done a good job, despite the conditions, in providing high quality treatment and ensuring patient safety.
  • Staff want to be able to treat more complex patients to develop their skills and become experts in their field.
  • Patient feedback regularly shows that most patients are happy with the services they receive.
  • There is a risk that Mount Vernon will not be able to recruit and retain staff if a long term solution is not agreed.

A more permanent solution needs to be found to ensure the sustainability of the services in the long term.

We want to organise services in ways that provide the best modern care for patients, including access to research trials and new technology and treatments, from good quality facilities.

Many of the buildings are not in a good state of repair, and concerns have been raised in relation to the long-term clinical sustainability of the Cancer Centre.

As well as ageing buildings, there are limited support facilities on site. For example, there are no high dependency or intensive care beds so patients who become very poorly are sent in an emergency ambulance to Watford General Hospital, or other nearby hospitals.

The limited support at the site creates challenges for the patients and staff, resulting in many patients receiving treatment in a number of different places because of this. As cancer treatment becomes more advanced and as demand for cancer treatment grows, this is becoming less sustainable for patients at Mount Vernon.

Some newer treatments and research trials have high levels of toxicity, and whilst the benefits in treating cancer might be greater, there is more risk of side effects that require the right care. Without the support of services such as high dependency or intensive care, patients will not have access to the latest cancer treatments.

As people live longer, more people with cancer are also living with other illnesses or conditions which require treatment alongside their cancer treatment. This cannot be done at Mount Vernon.

  • Staff have done a good job, despite the conditions, in providing high quality treatment and ensuring patient safety.
  • Staff want to be able to treat more complex patients to develop their skills and become experts in their field.
  • Patient feedback regularly shows that most patients are happy with the services they receive.
  • There is a risk that Mount Vernon will not be able to recruit and retain staff if a long term solution is not agreed.

A more permanent solution needs to be found to ensure the sustainability of the services in the long term.

We want to organise services in ways that provide the best modern care for patients, including access to research trials and new technology and treatments, from good quality facilities.

Your questions

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  • Share Hello. The link you gave Gina, to the Hillingdon Hospitals redevelopment plans, doesn't work. Kind regards. on Facebook Share Hello. The link you gave Gina, to the Hillingdon Hospitals redevelopment plans, doesn't work. Kind regards. on Twitter Share Hello. The link you gave Gina, to the Hillingdon Hospitals redevelopment plans, doesn't work. Kind regards. on Linkedin Email Hello. The link you gave Gina, to the Hillingdon Hospitals redevelopment plans, doesn't work. Kind regards. link

    Hello. The link you gave Gina, to the Hillingdon Hospitals redevelopment plans, doesn't work. Kind regards.

    Jonny Melanoma asked about 2 years ago

    Hello -

    Thanks for letting us know. Here is the current link for the Hillingdon Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust redevelopment website: https://thh.nhs.uk/redevelopment/

  • Share How can I help? on Facebook Share How can I help? on Twitter Share How can I help? on Linkedin Email How can I help? link

    How can I help?

    Iran Adil asked almost 3 years ago

    Thank you for your question. The best way you can help is to get involved with one of the patient and public groups. You can get involved in one that is on a topic that most interests you, or in more than one. You can also come to our update events. All our events are online at the moment, but if you prefer to have a phone conversation, you can email england.eoesct-projects@nhs.net and we can arrange to have a chat. Best wishes, Jessamy (from the Engagement Team).

  • Share What will happen to the Lynda Jackson Macmillan Centre on Facebook Share What will happen to the Lynda Jackson Macmillan Centre on Twitter Share What will happen to the Lynda Jackson Macmillan Centre on Linkedin Email What will happen to the Lynda Jackson Macmillan Centre link

    What will happen to the Lynda Jackson Macmillan Centre

    JL asked about 3 years ago

    Thank you for your question. The Lynda Jackson Macmillan Centre provides a crucial service to patients and carers which we will need in the new cancer centre and are including in our plans. We are also looking at how we can make it easier for people who liver further away to access those services. The Engagement Team.

  • Share What will be happening to the site and grounds of Mount Vernon. Hopefully they will not left to fall in to a state of neglect and become an eyesore. on Facebook Share What will be happening to the site and grounds of Mount Vernon. Hopefully they will not left to fall in to a state of neglect and become an eyesore. on Twitter Share What will be happening to the site and grounds of Mount Vernon. Hopefully they will not left to fall in to a state of neglect and become an eyesore. on Linkedin Email What will be happening to the site and grounds of Mount Vernon. Hopefully they will not left to fall in to a state of neglect and become an eyesore. link

    What will be happening to the site and grounds of Mount Vernon. Hopefully they will not left to fall in to a state of neglect and become an eyesore.

    GINA asked about 3 years ago

    The site and buildings that the Mount Vernon Cancer Centre operates from are owned by Hillingdon Hospitals NHS Trust. Hillingdon Hospitals have their own hospital development plans -  https://thh.nhs.uk/redevelopment/plans-for-the-new-hospital/

    We understand they intend to keep some services on the current Mount Vernon site where they currently provide outpatients and day surgery.  We also understand parts of the site are protected from development. Their Board will need to make a decision on what to do with excess site and buildings that are not fit for use.  

    We will continue to maintain cancer centre services on the site until a new cancer centre can be opened. This will include a new Linear Accelerator, and an expansion of outpatient capacity this year.

  • Share There is unquestionably a maintenance backlog. There are buildings that have been aparently abandoned for years or even decades. There are buildings which are in use but crying out for renovation. Why? Is it a case that a decision was taken many years ago to wind down the hospital and now surprise surprise because of the limitations of the buildings, that has become the only option? Why has this consultation not been widely known? on Facebook Share There is unquestionably a maintenance backlog. There are buildings that have been aparently abandoned for years or even decades. There are buildings which are in use but crying out for renovation. Why? Is it a case that a decision was taken many years ago to wind down the hospital and now surprise surprise because of the limitations of the buildings, that has become the only option? Why has this consultation not been widely known? on Twitter Share There is unquestionably a maintenance backlog. There are buildings that have been aparently abandoned for years or even decades. There are buildings which are in use but crying out for renovation. Why? Is it a case that a decision was taken many years ago to wind down the hospital and now surprise surprise because of the limitations of the buildings, that has become the only option? Why has this consultation not been widely known? on Linkedin Email There is unquestionably a maintenance backlog. There are buildings that have been aparently abandoned for years or even decades. There are buildings which are in use but crying out for renovation. Why? Is it a case that a decision was taken many years ago to wind down the hospital and now surprise surprise because of the limitations of the buildings, that has become the only option? Why has this consultation not been widely known? link

    There is unquestionably a maintenance backlog. There are buildings that have been aparently abandoned for years or even decades. There are buildings which are in use but crying out for renovation. Why? Is it a case that a decision was taken many years ago to wind down the hospital and now surprise surprise because of the limitations of the buildings, that has become the only option? Why has this consultation not been widely known?

    Jess on a bicycle. asked about 3 years ago

    Thank you for your comment.  

    Mount Vernon Cancer services and the other services on the site are run by different organisations. The site and buildings are not owned by the Mount Vernon Cancer Centre and the Mount Vernon Cancer Centre has not withdrawn any services it is responsible for, apart from changes to admissions for safety reasons as recommended by the independent clinical review in 2019.. At the same time, cancer care and treatments have made great leaps forward, and the Cancer Centre needs access to more support services to enable it to provide the full range of care available today and in the future.

    We are very early in the process of deciding how to ensure people in Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, North West London, Buckinghamshire and Berkshire have access to the best cancer services and care in the future. 

    Public Consultation on the future of Mount Vernon Cancer Centre will hopefully happen later this year and there will be a large scale campaign to make sure people have the opportunity to get involved.  We have asked the Consultation Institute to assess our consultation to make sure we do everything possible to give people a voice.

    consultation institute
    consultation institute
  • Share As the actual cancer centre buildings are relatively new, functionally grouped and efficient established treatment providers. Would it not be possible to augment it with a new build ICU/HDU and 20 stepdown beds? The site could accommodate this and there is a need for more ICU provision in the area. on Facebook Share As the actual cancer centre buildings are relatively new, functionally grouped and efficient established treatment providers. Would it not be possible to augment it with a new build ICU/HDU and 20 stepdown beds? The site could accommodate this and there is a need for more ICU provision in the area. on Twitter Share As the actual cancer centre buildings are relatively new, functionally grouped and efficient established treatment providers. Would it not be possible to augment it with a new build ICU/HDU and 20 stepdown beds? The site could accommodate this and there is a need for more ICU provision in the area. on Linkedin Email As the actual cancer centre buildings are relatively new, functionally grouped and efficient established treatment providers. Would it not be possible to augment it with a new build ICU/HDU and 20 stepdown beds? The site could accommodate this and there is a need for more ICU provision in the area. link

    As the actual cancer centre buildings are relatively new, functionally grouped and efficient established treatment providers. Would it not be possible to augment it with a new build ICU/HDU and 20 stepdown beds? The site could accommodate this and there is a need for more ICU provision in the area.

    Rosie Lambert asked over 3 years ago

     

    To offer the full range of cancer treatments and research trials, Mount Vernon Cancer Centre needs to have immediate access to intensive care beds, but only one to two patients will need intensive care at any one time.
    Such a small intensive care unit would not be safe on any site. An ITU facility can only be justified on a site where acute trauma and major surgery are undertaken, with supporting acute medical specialties on site – such as cardiology, renal and respiratory medicine. There are no plans for any of these services to be delivered on the Mount Vernon site.
    In terms of the buildings on the site, the newest cancer service buildings are more than 10 years old and most of the site is much older and suffering from a significant maintenance backlog.  
Page last updated: 22 Jun 2023, 01:47 PM