CANCER patients in and around Warrington are set to receive a boost to their treatment.

Health chiefs officially recognised Warrington Hospital Trust as a Cancer Unit on Tuesday - meaning patients will receive an even higher standard of care.

The new unit will provide specialist care for three cancers - breast, lung and colorectal - and will be linked with centres at Clatterbridge and Christie hospitals.

The unit will meet Government guidelines - providing patients equal access to care wherever they live as well as informing them of the availability of screening programmes.

Barry Taylor, a consultant surgeon, said: "The acquisition of this status will reinforce what we have already been doing over the past few years in terms of service provision.

"It is granted in recognition of the fact that the services we provide are already of an excellent standard."

Inspectors will visit the hospital in June to check that certain conditions have been met before the unit receives final approval.

Doctors at the hospital will work closely with colleagues based at Halton General Hospital following a joint bid between the two Trusts for Cancer Unit status.

Consultants from Warrington who are experts in cancer care will organise and co-ordinate the unit in their roles as "lead clinicians."

Geoff Greenwood, chief executive of North Cheshire Health, welcomed the news.

He added: "We have developed a strategy that will ensure our residents will receive high quality cancer services wherever they live.

"Our two Trusts will be working together to provide a district-wide service."

The hospital is to submit further bids in the future for Cancer Unit status to help treat other sufferers.

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