Leech Slams North West Cancer Scandal

10.10.00am GMT Wed 2nd Jan 2008

The North West Cancer Intelligence Service has concluded that residents of the North West are more likely to die from cancer

John Leech, Lib Dem MP for Manchester Withington, has secured a commitment from the Secretary of State for Health, Alan Johnson, that he will look into shocking new statistics which show that Deaths from cancer are significantly higher in the North West of England than in the rest of the country.

John Leech took the opportunity to raise the issue during Health questions in parliament. He highlighted the findings of a recent study by the North West Cancer Intelligence Service, which is based at Christie Hospital, in Withington, which show that men are 8.5% and women 6.7% more likely to die from cancer in the North West than in the rest of the country. He demanded the Secretary of State take note of the findings and make the necessary funding available to deal with the health inequalities they demonstrate.

Alan Johnson said that the Government would take the research into account, However, he failed to make any firm funding commitment.

John Leech MP believes that the current government has spent more time reorganising the NHS than tackling gross inequalities

John Leech MP said:

"It is a scandal that such inequalities in health exist in this country after 10 years of a Labour government.

John Leech MP believes that more funding must be diverted to the North West if these inequalities are to be dealt with efficiently

"This failure is nothing to do with the highly committed NHS staff we have in the region. Including those involved in researching and treating cancer at the excellent Christie Hospital. Rather, it reflects the failure of a Labour Government obsessed with reorganisations in the health service rather than focusing on tackling health inequalities across Greater Manchester and the North West."