Tim Farron calls for proton therapy to be available in UK

12.47.30am BST (GMT +0100) Thu 21st May 2009

Cancer patients suffering from aggressive forms of the disease should be able to receive the life-saving treatment they need in the UK instead of being forced to travel abroad, says Lib Dem MP Tim Farron.

His call comes only weeks after the visit of Lib Dem Shadow Secretary of State Norman Lamb's visit to Harborough and has resulted in Mr Farron presenting an Early Day Motion on the subject to Parliament.

''I spoke at length to Phil Knowles and Zuffar Haq about proton therapy and in particular Zuffar's visit, along with Norman Lamb, to the home of Ros Barnes. The circumstances of Mrs Barnes's young son and those of a constituent of my own underline the need for a concerted and unified action to get the Proton Therapy Treatment provided as quickly as possible.

"I was able to outline to Zuffar and Phil that an increasing number of British cancer patients who have been diagnosed with particularly sensitive cancers such as those close to the spinal chord, brain or heart, are having to travel to abroad to receive the life saving proton therapy treatment because it is not available in the UK. Most of these people also have to fund the treatment themselves.

"Unlike in radiotherapy, most of the radiation used during proton therapy is concentrated on the tumour meaning that the amount of radiation affecting normal tissues can be reduced to half or even one tenth at the same time as delivering the same or higher dose to the cancer.''

Zuffar Haq, speaking after the discussions with Tim Farron MP, called on the government to invest in a specialist proton therapy treatment as ''a matter or urgency '' He continued: ''This facility can't be provided at the flick of a switch, it needs planning and programming - if it is to be provided in a realistic timeframe the Government has to provide a commitment to the funding without further delay''

Late yesterday Phil Knowles updated us on the situation: "It seems that the Early Day Motion now has 18 signatures from wide range of MP's giving it cross party support. We now continue to campaign to get more MP's to support it. During my discussions with Tim Farron's office a short time ago he confirmed to me that he has written to Health Second Alan Johnson Urging his intervention and support. Tim is also trying to get a question called at Prime Ministers Question Time. If he succeeds. Tim will use the opportunity to seek the Prime Ministers support for the campaign, a campaign that impacts across the whole of the country."