Private cancer care provider collapses into liquidation

Rutherford's Taunton base was intended to run on a five year contract with the local NHS

A private oncology centre with sites across the UK has collapsed into liquidation after the number of people it treated dropped during Covid-19.

Rutherford Health has bases in Taunton, Bedlington, Newport, Reading and Liverpool.

In a statement, it said it had made offers to the NHS for contracts but they didn't raise enough income.

The BBC understands that more than a hundred NHS patients will have their scans disrupted in Somerset.

Somerset NHS Foundation Trust's chief executive Peter Lewis said it was rescheduling those appointments if necessary - but "looking to maintain" the Taunton centre with "minimal disruption".

A spokesperson for NHS England, which was responsible for commissioning Rutherford, said it will do all it can to ensure cancer care continues as normal and that patients affected will be contacted soon.

The company offered a range of cancer treatments including radio and chemotherapy, diagnostic imaging and supportive care services to both NHS and private patients.

Rutherford's Taunton base, which is a diagnostic centre, was contracted to provide scans for five years.

It will continue to provide a service despite the financial issues in the company.

'Challenging trading'

The group was established in 2015, and has spent over £240m building cancer centres across the country.

"Covid has been damaging for us as fewer patients were presenting with cancer side effects during lockdowns...this meant fewer patients were presenting to our centres," said interim CEO Sean Sullivan.

"The cost of infrastructure combined with the impacted patient flow presented extremely challenging trading conditions.

"We made several offers to the NHS [for not-for-profit contracts] and whilst we secured some, they were insufficient," he added.