A Harrow MP has expressed anger after the Government failed to confirm the relocation of a troubled cancer centre.

Mount Vernon Cancer Centre, in Rickmansworth Road, Northwood, made a £260 million bid for relocation as part of the Government’s New Hospital Programme.

The application was made in 2021, but the Government's May 25 update on the programme did not include the cancer centre.

Gareth Thomas, the Labour MP for Harrow West, has now claimed that government ministers have “buried their heads in the sand” by ignoring the needs of Mount Vernon.

In 2019, independent advisors had found that the buildings at the site were in a bad state, with staff unable to always carry out the care and treatment they would like.

At the time, the NHS claimed that changes were necessary for services to continue and proposed a transfer to a new specialist site at Watford General Hospital. 

This would have been supported by additional services at other hospital sites, including Northwick Park Hospital, which would expand its chemotherapy department. 

But in the Government’s announcement about the New Hospital Programme last month, Mount Vernon Cancer Centre was not one of the five hospitals from the 2021 bid set to be rebuilt by 2030.

Funding for Watford General Hospital's redevelopment was approved.

The Department for Health and Social Care said that the chosen hospitals had been “prioritised” to “protect both staff and patients”.

The department advised that further projects may be invited in the future to join those already earmarked for redevelopment as part of a “rolling programme”.

But Gareth Thomas claimed that the Government had already had 13 years to secure the future of Mount Vernon.

He said: “[Ministers have] ignored the need for capital investment to keep this service in the high-quality state of the art buildings necessary to support the next generation of cancer patients.

“Mount Vernon has saved so many lives. It’s staff are doing a remarkable job in difficult circumstances.

“Staff and the patients who benefit so much deserve to see our Ministers caring enough to resolve the long term maintenance and buildings needs of this vital local NHS service.

He added that more than 23,000 residents had signed a petition calling to save the cancer centre.