Lack of diagnostic centre in Luton labelled 'criminal' as scheme aims to cut cancer death rate

The lack of a clinical diagnostic centre in Luton has been labelled “criminal” by the borough council’s chief executive, as a campaign begins to provide one.

Robin Porter was reacting to a local authority health and wellbeing board report on improving cancer outcomes.

Key ambitions in the NHS long-term plan for cancer are that by 2028, 55,000 more people every year will survive their cancer for five years or more, while 75 per cent of patients will be diagnosed at an early stage.

The Luton cancer outcomes project was established in 2021 to address long-standing concerns about cancer mortality rates, uptake of treatment, stage of diagnosis and referral rates, according to the report.

At the start of the project, the data revealed one in four deaths in Luton were attributable to cancer,” said the report. “This has reduced to less than one in five.”

Mr Porter explained: “The cancer system across the patch wasn’t where it needed to be. The 25 per cent to 19 per cent is a massive improvement.

“As part of a 2040 pledge, the BLMK integrated care board (ICB) has committed to a campaign to secure NHS England funding for a clinical diagnostic centre in Luton.

“It’s criminal we don’t have one in the town centre. We’re also going to advocate delivery of a radiotherapy bunker at the Luton and Dunstable Hospital.”

Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust respiratory consultant Dr James Ramsay said: “We’ve implemented a screening programme for people at risk of lung cancer, which is successfully diagnosing patients, with 80 per cent at stage one or two.

“This represents a notable shift from where we normally see patients present with lung cancer. We identify there are significant barriers both within staff and with our population to discussing cancer, which remains an issue we want to address.

“We’ve developed a transport scheme for patients to access treatments delivered on the Mount Vernon site in Northwood, while a rolling programme involving our community connectors seeks to promote symptoms, signs and education around cancer.

“There’s an increase in the number of patients referred into secondary care through suspected cancer pathways, which historically has been low in Luton.”

Labour Biscot councillor Tahmina Saleem asked: “How much more should we be doing to advise around lifestyle changes at a younger age?

“It’s usually adults who present with cancer. Obesity in childhood is often a ticking time bomb. It’s 40 per cent obesity in year six in my ward.

“I know we’re doing plenty already, but it’s all interconnected. Obesity has health implications and it’s about changing children’s lifestyle as early as possible. It’s a big red flag.”

Dr Ramsay replied: “One of the work streams specifically examines the prevention agenda, addressing smoking cessation, reducing alcohol consumption, but also that obesity issue.

“The statistics are getting ever increasingly more worrying, with 40 per cent of young children now obese. That might translate into higher cases, so we need to plan our services based on this.

“If you can influence on stopping smoking, limiting alcohol intake, healthy eating, exercise and those lifestyle choices, that’s really important health messaging.”