This equality and health inequalities document sets out the case for establishing the Wessex Cancer Surgical Hub.

The Covid pandemic has placed an unprecedented amount of pressure on NHS systems, including a loss of surgical capacity. In response, NHS England (NHSE) has issued guidance that all cancer alliances set up cancer surgery hubs with the aim to maximise the number of patients receiving curative surgery. In line with NHSE guidance, we are now setting up the Wessex Cancer Surgical Hub to:

• Maintain urgent elective cancer surgery during the Covidcrisis for patients with life-threatening cancer in a Covid-free environment
• Manage the backlog of patients awaiting treatment, as referrals are likely to increase once the acute phase passes.

Any hospital from this list below will be able to send patients to the Hub:

• Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
• Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
• Isle of Wight NHS Trust
• Poole Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
• Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust
• Royal Bournemouth and Christchurch Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
• Salisbury Hospital Foundation Trust
• University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust

Any services offered by the Cancer Hub will be additional to what they would otherwise receive. Patients will be given an option to receive treatment through the Cancer Hub, or may choose to remain on the waiting list of their local provider.

Review this in conjunction with: Wessex Cancer Surgery Hub – Introduction and Overview.

Published: July 2020