A DECISION on the future of the Garden Suite chemotherapy unit will not be made until next year, as a patient consultation is set to be begin.

The chemotherapy suite was moved by the Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust from the Alexandra Hospital to Kidderminster during the pandemic, but earlier this year, the Trust said that they could look to make the relocation permanent.

Redditch MP Rachel Maclean, who has been campaigning for the unit to return to Redditch, met with health bosses on Friday where she was told no final decision has been made about the Garden Suite’s future permanent location.

The earliest any options will be presented to the Trust’s Board will be March 2022, the MP was told.

The Trust has promised to carry out a full engagement exercise with patients as part of the process to provide the Board with options on the suite's future permanent location.

The MP is now calling for any consultation with patients to be "fair and transparent".

Rachel Maclean MP said: “Although it’s frustrating we now have to wait until March for Trust bosses to make a final decision about the permanent location of the Garden Suite, if it means patients, and staff, will properly be consulted, then this will hopefully ensure this process is a fair one.

“Any patient survey must not ask leading questions which may give the Trust the answers they want.

“It must be a fair and transparent process which asks Redditch patients whether they’re happy having to travel to Kidderminster for their treatment.

“The Trust must share a copy of the patient survey with me in order to ensure full transparency.

“From the many emails I’ve received on this issue, not a single chemotherapy patient I’ve heard from is happy that they can’t receive their treatment at the Alex.

“When surveying patients, the Trust must give them the opportunity to express this. Any survey which doesn’t do this would, in my opinion, be flawed and wouldn’t accurately reflect the views of patients."

The MP is also asking constituents to sign her petition, which has amassed more than 7,500 signatures, calling for the Garden Suite’s return to the Alex.

She added: "A final decision on the Garden Suite’s future permanent location still hasn’t been made, so your voices still count.

“Thank you to the thousands of you who have signed my petition so far. If you haven’t done so already, please do sign it and urge your friends, family and neighbours to as well.”

Matthew Hopkins, Chief Executive of Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS, said: “We will continue to seek the views of colleagues and patients as we explore options for the future of the service.”