TOP surgeons have rebelled over plans to move life-saving head and neck cancer surgery out of Worcester.

The men who perform the operations have now joined the chorus of opposition to a recommendation which would mean patients in Worcester have to travel to Gloucester for surgery.

Paul Crawford, aged 67, of Highfield Close, Droitwich, who is recovering from throat cancer, led calls for the service to remain in Worcester last month.

John Rostill, chief executive of Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, called the recommendation to move the service by the 3 Counties Cancer Network a “cock-up” and criticised Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust for handing in its bid to host the service a week late.

Ten consultants from the head and neck team at Worcestershire Royal Hospital in Worcester have signed a letter to your Worcester News, framing their objections.

They are Mr Chris Ayshford, Mr Graham James, Mr Neal Barnard, Mr Tim Hall, Mr Giles Warner, Dr Geoff Smith, Dr Aidan Norman, Dr David Whitelock, Dr Terry Jones and Dr Bernd Wittkop.

The letter reads: “We strongly believe that it is in the interests of our patients for head and neck cancer surgery to continue to be provided at both Worcester and Gloucester. Each site provides an excellent service and has all the facilities and staff to meet the highest standards of patient care, as shown by the recent review.

“We believe that patient care and outcomes will suffer if the service is moved to one hospital as patients and their families will be travelling on average an extra 25 miles. This could have an impact on patient care, especially as surgeons will not be able to spend time at Worcestershire looking after the patients at the location.”

We have already reported in your Worcester News how the 3 Counties Cancer Network has recommended that surgery for head and neck cancer takes place only at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital, which means patients would no longer be able to have the surgery on their own doorstep, in Worcester.

No formal decision has yet been taken by the 3 Counties Cancer Network board on whether to move the surgery out of Worcester.

A meeting to decide the fate of head and neck cancer surgery at Worcester was due to take place last Tuesday but this has since been cancelled and has yet to be rescheduled.

A spokesman for the 3 Counties Cancer Network Board said: “We are currently looking at a new date for the 3 Counties Cancer Network board meeting to take into account the availability of key board members. Further information, including confirmation of the date, will be made available in due course.”