COLCHESTER’s Hospital Trust has started work on its bid to keep urology cancer surgery in Colchester.

The National Institute for Clinical Excellence says cancer surgery centres should serve a population of at least one million people – and that means there should only be one in Essex.

Southend Hospital Trust is expected to bid for the specialist centre, which is due to be up and running by October next year.

John Corr, consultant urological surgeon with Colchester Hospital University NHS Foundation Trust, said work has already started on Colchester's application.

Surgeons, anaethetists, nurses, radiologists, managers and financial experts will all contribute to the submission document.

Mr Corr said: “We can provide the service for Essex.

“We made steps a year or two ago to invest in equipment and employmore staff, That is already in place.

“As a department, we can offer the services now. We will, as a service, grow to expand our services. You have to continue to innovate.

“You have a huge responsibility to the patients and the comments made by patients say we are providing a good service.

“We plan to increase the activity, but offer this high level of care.

“This is a big piece of work and will be tremendously detailed.”

Mr Corr said the public’s contribution is vital, including the comments of patients, support groups and petitions being collected by the Gazette.

Residents from across north Essex, who are backing the Colchester bid, say it is unreasonable to expect patients and their families to travel from rural areas, which have poor public transport links, to Southend.

They also say the quality of care provided by Mr Corr and his team is second to none and should not be lost.