Oxford hospital managers have been accused of “hoodwinking” the public over a fundraising drive for the Oxford Cancer Centre.
The Oxford Mail can reveal patients without cancer are being treated in operating theatres and intensive care at the £109m unit.
Last night, the hospital denied saying it had ever intended the centre, which was furnished with added extras after a £2m public donation drive, was solely for cancer patients.
Andrew Stevens, director of planning and information at the Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals Trust (ORH), said the new building was never planned to be for the exclusive use of cancer services.
But in the trust’s own fundraising literature and magazine ORH News from March 2008, the centre was described as having 217 patient beds, 10 theatres and an intensive care unit “dedicated to cancer patients”.
Ralph Goodson, of Heads2gether, a head and neck cancer support group, said he has reported the hospital to the Charity Commission.
He said: “My wife ran the London Marathon in 2008 as part of a trust team.
“I know that as a result of their efforts, at least £10,000 was donated to the Cancer Centre.
“Now it appears that the money may be being used to benefit patients who have not got cancer.
“Whilst we do not begrudge those patients getting the treatment they need, we are angry that the trust has misled us.
“Concern about cancer features high in the public’s awareness and as a result they give generously to cancer charities.
“I think it is disingenuous to say the least that the trust has hoodwinked donators in this way.”
The hospital was unable to say how many non-cancer patients had been treated at the Cancer Centre.
Mr Stevens explained the hospital was home to a range of services, including transplant, surgery and x-ray. He added: “It would not be clinically sensible or a good use of taxpayers’ money to have separate theatres and x-ray departments for cancer and non-cancer patients.”
When the Oxford Cancer Centre opened in 2009, it was planned that head and neck cancer services would move in this year.
Now trust directors said they are reconsidering the move because of “financial constraints”.
Heads2gether will attend the trust’s AGM tonight to challenge directors over the backtrack.
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