Health chiefs in York and North Yorkshire have pledged cancer patients who need to travel to Leeds for treatment will still get a top-quality service despite a hitch in plans for a new £60 million cancer unit in Leeds to replace Cookridge Hospital.

The Leeds Teaching Hospital Trust, which runs St James's Hospital, had hoped to get Government approval for private companies to put up the cash for a purpose-built oncology unit which would take over Cookridge's role in providing radiology and chemotherapy treatments.

But the plans to relocate cancer services from Cookridge to St James' s have had to be put on hold after health minister Alan Milburn refused to include it in a scheme of newly-approved hospital projects.

Hospital Trust chairman Bill Kilgallon said: "It is very difficult to understand this decision. It is a great blow to the dedicated and expert staff who put together this proposal.

"The scheme will be resubmitted at the earliest opportunity and the Trust will continue to provide the best possible care from the present buildings."

Dr Roger Boyle, general manager for medical services at York Health Services Trust, said today that North Yorkshire patients, who all travel to Cookridge for radiotherapy, would continue to get a high quality service from the hospital.

He said: "There would be major advantages in having cancer treatments close together.

"This is a disappointment, but it won't have a major impact on treatment for North Yorkshire patients."

Professor Mark Baker, medical director for the North Yorkshire Health Authority, added: "We are very disappointed that the bid has been rejected and the health authority is still very supportive of the efforts to improve specialist cancer services in Leeds."

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