CHELMSFORD residents and cancer survivors have welcomed the news that radiotherapy services could be coming to Mid Essex.

Currently, there are no radiotheraphy services in the middle of the county, with patients either having to go to Colchester or Southend for treatment.

But now the NHS is looking at creating facilities in the heart of the county, with Southend Hospital proposing a business case to enter into partnership to provide more radiotherapy services.

Cancer survivors and relatives of those who have fought the disease are delighted by the proposal and hope the treatment may be located at Broomfield Hospital, Chelmsford.

When Chris Parris, 65, was diagnosed with prostate cancer three years ago, he had to travel to Colchester for radiotherapy every day for seven weeks from his home in Purleigh, a round-trip of about 50 miles.

His wife, Gloria, 66, said: “We would have loved to have had the treatment done nearer to home.

“It really is such a long haul when you are not at all well. It would be ahuge asset for radiotherapy services to be nearer, perhaps at Broomfield Hospital.”

Val Siggers, 66, of Tylers Close, Chelmsford, had to travel to Colchester for radiotherapy when she battled breast cancer. She said: “My husband had to take time off work to take me as the after-effects of treatment made it too difficult to travel on the train.

“It’s crazy this hasn’t happened before, it would be really beneficial fo r the area and would be wonderful to have treatment at Broomfield.”

James O’Sullivan, Southend Hospital’s chief financial officer, said: “This is not a good situation for these patients, who are often very poorly.

“The aim of this business case is to create additional radiotherapy capacity for Essex, but based in the Mid Essex area. This means that Mid Essex patients will no longer need to travel.

“The trust is looking at a number of options for partnership working to help develop this capacity.”