SUFFOLK Primary Care Trust has today confirmed that it will support the move of head and neck cancer surgery from Ipswich Hospital to Norwich.

SUFFOLK Primary Care Trust has today confirmed that it will support the move of head and neck cancer surgery from Ipswich Hospital to Norwich.

Board papers released today, ahead of the PCT's meeting next week, recommend the controversial move.

It also recommends that all other associated care, including diagnosis, radiotherapy and both pre and post operative care, continues at Ipswich Hospital.

Carole Taylor-Brown, chief executive of Suffolk PCT, said: “This report into improving outcomes for head and neck cancer patients is very detailed and comprehensive and will be debated fully by the board at its meeting on July 30.”

Those members at the meeting on Wednesday, July 30, will look into the possibility of providing improved facilities for relatives and carers, specifically overnight accommodation, as well as working with partner agencies to improve issues like transport options.

The PCT said the recommendations have been made to ensure national Improving Outcomes Guidance are met. The guidelines state that to improve outcomes and survival rates for patients, major surgery should be centralised at centres which see a minimum of 100 new cases each year and serve a population of one million people.