Earlier this month, senior executives of King’s College Hospital outlined to the Health Scrutiny Committee of Bromley Council some proposals that threaten to close the specialist inpatient cancer ward at the PRUH and move the services to King’s at Denmark Hill. (Details can be found on the Council website at Agenda for Health Scrutiny Sub-Committee on Tuesday 16 September 2025, 5.00 pm – pages 26 – 28)
Along with the Chartwell Cancer Trust and patients past and present, we strongly believe that closure of this ward will have a hugely negative impact on any local patients with blood cancers. The removal of care in our borough to a site that is a significant distance away and difficult to get to, particularly if you are immune comprised, would be a diminution of care in our eyes. It carries extra risks to those presenting with emergencies. Plus, as yet we have not seen any impact assessments, clinical reviews etc or assurances that additional beds will even be made available at King’s – where? It is already full.
Additionally, the proposals to move other cancer inpatients to non-specialist wards across the PRUH concerns us greatly.
The PRUH say in their statement of 18th September that, “We are actively engaging with patients, staff, and stakeholders as we continue to develop these proposals, and no final decisions have been made.” However, we have not as yet seen from them a mechanism for engagement. Furthermore, we understand they are still in the process of setting up a working group on how they take this proposal forward which would include engagement.
Along with the Chartwell Cancer Trust, we feel we need to make our voices heard NOW before it is too late.
𝗣𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 therefore 𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲 The Trust’s 𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 as widely as you can: https://chng.it/LScTZjXfFW
𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 counts in sending a strong message that we should retain that specialist care here in our Borough.
For more information, read the Chartwell Trust’s statement here
Cllr Mike Jack
Cllr Mark Smith
Cllr Alison Stammers
