Patients and residents are invited to share their views on proposed changes to Mount Vernon Cancer Centre during the public consultation, open from 19 January to 29 March 2026.
NHS England has launched a public consultation today on proposals to change how specialist cancer services are delivered at Mount Vernon Cancer Centre (MVCC). Patients, carers, staff and local communities are encouraged to share their views on the proposed plans outlined on the MVCC review website.
Why change is needed
Mount Vernon Cancer Centre has a long history of providing specialist cancer care, but changes in how cancer is treated mean the current site in Northwood can no longer meet patients’ needs in the long term.
Modern cancer care increasingly relies on access to other hospital services and specialist teams, which are not available on the current site. Some services have already moved elsewhere as a result, making care more difficult to coordinate. Being located away from a main hospital also limits opportunities for research and development of new treatments, and some patients face long journeys to reach the centre. While the buildings themselves need replacing, rebuilding on the same site would not address these wider challenges.
What’s being proposed
The main proposal is to build a new, purpose-built Mount Vernon Cancer Centre next to Watford General Hospital, bringing specialist cancer services together on an acute hospital site with access to the full range of clinical support patients may need.
Alongside this, the proposal includes:
- more specialised cancer care closer to home, with more chemotherapy, diagnostics and follow-up care provided in local hospitals such as Northwick Park and Hillingdon
- more treatment delivered at home, where it is safe and appropriate, including some chemotherapy
- a possible second radiotherapy unit at either Lister Hospital in Stevenage or Luton and Dunstable Hospital, helping to improve access for patients living further north.
Together, these changes aim to reduce the number of long journeys patients need to make for routine care. Analysis shows that most people would have similar or shorter travel times for specialist cancer treatment, alongside more local options for ongoing care.
How you can get involved
The consultation runs from 19 January to 29 March 2026 and is led by NHS England. There are many ways to share your views on the proposal.
- Complete the online questionnaire
- Attend a public engagement event
- Share feedback by post, email or phone.
For details on ways to share your feedback, visit: mvccreview.nhs.uk/get-involved
To read the full proposal and other consultation documents, visit www.mvccreview.nhs.uk.