The Joint Health Overview & Scrutiny Committee was scheduled to discuss updates on the consultation for the reprovision of the Mount Vernon Cancer Centre, including progress on the consultation itself and specific issues related to transport and access. The meeting also included the review of minutes from a previous meeting.

Mount Vernon Cancer Centre Reprovision Consultation Update

The committee was scheduled to receive an update on the public consultation regarding proposals for the Mount Vernon Cancer Centre. This consultation, which ran from 19 January to 29 March 2026, sought views on relocating the centre from Northwood to a new purpose-built facility on the Watford General Hospital site. It also included proposals for increasing care closer to home and considered options for an additional networked radiotherapy unit.

The report detailed how the consultation was being delivered and governed, adhering to the Gunning principles¹ for fair consultation. It outlined the mixed engagement approach, which included a public survey, public meetings, targeted microgrant conversations with community groups, and clinical and professional engagement. The report provided an interim update on participation levels and representativeness as of 23 February 2026, noting that while 1,163 public survey responses had been received, there was under-representation in certain geographical areas and demographic groups, such as women and white respondents. Actions were underway to address these gaps.

Early, indicative themes from the consultation indicated polarised views on the relocation, with travel and access being a dominant concern for those opposed. Support for the proposals was often linked to access to acute services and a modern facility. The report also highlighted the interest in radiotherapy options, with different areas expressing varying preferences. The committee was asked to note the ongoing consultation, compliance with legal requirements, participation levels, actions to address under-representation, and the emerging themes, and to comment on any additional local intelligence that could shape the remainder of the engagement programme.

Mount Vernon Cancer Centre Transport and Access Update

A separate report was scheduled to provide an overview of the work undertaken concerning transport and access in relation to the Mount Vernon Cancer Centre proposals. This included details of discussions held during public consultation events, where prompts focused on barriers to accessing the proposed centre, making travel manageable, and considerations for those who do not drive or are unwell. Three dedicated focus groups on transport and access had also been held.

Emerging themes from a transport and access perspective included concerns about sufficient and affordable car parking at the new centre and other sites receiving additional services, the accessibility of Watford by road, and the adequacy of public transport across Hertfordshire and from the South East. The need for improved and more flexible patient transport, the potential benefits of voluntary transport, and the impact of appointment flexibility were also noted. The report indicated that many transport and access conversations overlapped with discussions about care closer to home initiatives.

NHS England had commissioned a refresh of transport modelling and an independent engagement exercise by Opinion Research Services (ORS) to further understand patient travel behaviours and barriers. This exercise, involving surveys and focus groups, was set to commence from mid-March and would include patients, the general public, support organisations, and voluntary transport providers. The committee was asked to note this ongoing work and consider writing to local authorities to urge partnership with the NHS in improving access to the new cancer centre.

Minutes of the Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee Meeting of 24 March 2025

The committee was also scheduled to review and agree the minutes from their previous meeting held on 24 March 2025.