About The Campaign

It Must Be Marsden

The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust was the first hospital in the world to be dedicated solely to the treatment of cancer. It is a world-leading specialist cancer hospital and is rated Outstanding by the Care Quality Commission.

Over the next few months, the NHS and the Government will decide whether The Royal Marsden at Sutton will continue to be the centre for children’s cancer services for South London and South England – or whether children’s cancer services should be moved elsewhere.

As a major funder of the specialist children’s service at The Royal Marsden, The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity has provided this website as a platform for donors, staff, patients and their families to have their voices heard.

Those who share their stories on here and who send letters to their MPs agree that children and young people with cancer, their parents and families, continue to receive the very best care and treatment from The Royal Marsden at Sutton from its kind, expert staff; and so that it can continue to conduct world-leading research that helps all those with cancer.

The specialist comprehensive children’s cancer service at The Royal Marsden at Sutton is world-leading:

It ensures children and young people with cancer receive the best clinical outcomes, treatment, care, access and patient experience possible
Inspection reports have repeatedly highlighted the excellence of the service – the Care Quality Commission in January 2020 said The Royal Marsden is a “beacon of Outstanding practice”
The impact of its research, with the Institute of Cancer Research, is ranked third in the world
It is the biggest recruiter to children’s cancer drug trials in the UK
It is accessible for patients and their families from London and the South of England – almost two-thirds of patients come from Kent, Surrey and Sussex

Dear Member of Parliament,

Children and young people’s cancer services in London – The Royal Marsden Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

The Royal Marsden at Sutton is world-leading – I am writing to ask for your support so that it continues to be the centre for specialist children’s cancer services in South London and South England, supported by the £500m investment for a preferred site in Sutton that the Prime Minister announced in one of his first acts after the General Election.

The Royal Marsden in Sutton has an exceptional safety record for specialist children’s services compared to all other centres nationally. It is ranked highly by patients and families for treatment, care and experience, in modern, age-appropriate facilities opened less than a decade ago. It is the top recruiter to children’s trials in Europe – essential to further improve survival. The Royal Marsden Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is rated Outstanding by the Care Quality Commission and its services for children are rated Outstanding in terms of being caring and Good in all other areas.

On 30th January 2020, the NHS England Board decided to proceed with plans for a co-located model for services for children and young people with cancer. But the report that led to this decision does not treat London equally – there is one rule for north London and another for south London, because it mandates co-location for south London but allows north London to continue its networked model with children moving between sites.

NHS England is now assessing the options available to them. One of these options is to develop the service on the Sutton site.

I believe that a proposal which retains The Royal Marsden’s cancer expertise, life-saving research, modern facilities and accessible location is the best option to ensure that the best clinical outcomes and patient experience are provided.

(ADD YOUR OWN STORY HERE IF YOU WISH)

The Royal Marsden at Sutton is the best option for:

Clinical outcomes
Quality of treatment, care and experience
Access and travel times – children with cancer should not be travelling to hospital by train, on the Underground or by bus
World-class research
Cost – the investment you have committed, for a preferred site for new services in Sutton, means that it is the most cost-effective option

I hope you will support The Royal Marsden in Sutton so that its outstanding service for children and young people with cancer in South London and South England is retained – It Must Be Marsden.

Please may I ask that you raise this matter at the highest levels.

Yours sincerely,

Your name

Dear Mr Johnson and Mr Hancock,

Children and young people’s cancer services in London – The Royal Marsden Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

The Royal Marsden at Sutton is world-leading – I am writing to ask that you ensure it continues to be the centre for specialist children’s cancer services in South London and South England, supported by the £500m investment for a preferred site in Sutton that you announced in one of your first acts after the General Election.

The Royal Marsden in Sutton has an exceptional safety record for specialist children’s services compared to all other centres nationally. It is ranked highly by patients and families for treatment, care and experience, in modern, age-appropriate facilities opened less than a decade ago. It is the top recruiter to children’s trials in Europe – essential to further improve survival. The Royal Marsden Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is rated Outstanding by the Care Quality Commission and its services for children are rated Outstanding in terms of being caring and Good in all other areas.

On 30th January 2020, the NHS England Board decided to proceed with plans for a co-located model for services for children and young people with cancer. But the report that led to this decision does not treat London equally – there is one rule for north London and another for south London, because it mandates co-location for south London but allows north London to continue its networked model with children moving between sites.

NHS England is now assessing the options available to them. One of these options is to develop the service on the Sutton site.

I believe that a proposal which retains The Royal Marsden’s cancer expertise, life-saving research, modern facilities and accessible location is the best option to ensure that the best clinical outcomes and patient experience are provided.

(ADD YOUR OWN STORY HERE IF YOU WISH)

The Royal Marsden at Sutton is the best option for:

Clinical outcomes
Quality of treatment, care and experience
Access and travel times – children with cancer should not be travelling to hospital by train, on the Underground or by bus
World-class research
Cost – the investment you have committed, for a preferred site for new services in Sutton, means that it is the most cost-effective option

Prime Minister and Secretary of State, I hope you will choose to retain this outstanding service for children and young people with cancer in South London and South England – It Must Be Marsden.

Thank you for taking the time to read this.

Yours sincerely,

Your name