THE Royal Blackburn and Burnley General hospitals have recruited their first consultant oncologists, meaning they will no longer rely purely on visiting specialists from Preston.

Dr Doina Badea and Dr Ana Ferreira have already joined East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust, while Dr Raoul Peck is due to start work in early 2015.

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The trio will supplement the ongoing service provided by a team of visiting oncologists from Royal Preston Hospital.

Oncologists specialise in non-surgical treatments for cancer patients, such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

Cancer services manager Juliette Mottram said: “We are extremely pleased to welcome Doctors Badea, Ferreira and Peck to East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust.

“Each of them brings extensive clinical expertise that will enhance the high quality of care our patients here already receive. Their combined knowledge will provide tremendous benefit for the cancer patients of East Lancashire and will provide a much-needed supplement to the service provided by the oncologists from Lancashire Teaching Hospitals.”

The new appointments will add to a workforce including specialist cancer doctors and nurses, multi-disciplinary team co-ordinators and medical secretaries. There is also a lead cancer consultant, lead cancer nurse and lead cancer manager.

Dr Ferreira comes to East Lancashire after 14 years’ experience in Portugal. Her weekly clinics are held at Royal Blackburn Hospital on Monday and Tuesday afternoons, and Burnley General Hospital on Thursdays.

Dr Badea has 19 years’ experience as a qualified doctor and has a special interest in breast cancer, gynaecology cancer and acute oncology. Her weekly clinics are held at Burnley General Hospital on Tuesday and Thursday, and at Royal Blackburn Hospital every Friday.

The team from Preston holds outpatient clinics and supervise the delivery of chemotherapy at the Royal Blackburn and Burnley General sites, but also at the Preston’s Rosemere Centre. Radiotherapy is also delivered in Preston.