COLCHESTER MP Will Quince has reacted angrily to news the town will not be have a voice on the committee reviewing the future of its specialist cancer unit.

Colchester General Hospital stands to lose its specialist urology cancer surgery centre next year, if NHS officials decide a single, countywide unit should be based elsewhere.

At present, patients are treated in Colchester and Southend. This is due to be reviewed byagroup of Essex county, Southend and Thurrock councillors, who will makearecommendation to NHS England.

The group comprises two Southend councillors, two from Thurrock, and three appointed by County Hall to represent the rest of Essex. It is the choice of these three members which has angered Tory MP Mr Quince.

Instead of appointing a Colchester representative, Brentwood county councillor Ann Naylor – a consultant anaesthetist for 29 years–has been chosen, along with Braintree councillor Jo Beavis and Andy Wood, from Clacton.

Veteran Colchester Labour councillor Dave Harris has been named to deputise if one of the other members drops out, but would have not right to vote on the issue.

Mr Quince said: “The make-up of the group is totally unacceptable.

It is inevitable those who represent Southend will sway in favour of keeping their centre.

“This needs to be looked at again very quickly, given the important role of the committee.

“It is very worrying. Given we have a number of Colchester borough and county councillors, I am surprised there is not one person on it.”

Senior county councillor Jill Reeves has defended the choice of members.

She said: “Councillor Ann Naylor, was identified as the lead member because of her clinical background.

“We asked for further volunteers to serve, specifically suggesting they should be from mid and north Essex, to counter-balance the south Essex membership from Southend and Thurrock.

“The other two members on the committee represent Braintree and Clacton, the latter of which is very much in the Colchester Hospital catchment area.

“There are also two substitute members and one of those is from Colchester and is the first substitute.

The other is from Bocking.

“All the meetings will be in public and anyone can attend. The committee will also be seeking input from patients and Healthwatch.”

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