A RADIOTHERAPY unit is likely to be based at a Worcester hospital after health bosses gave plans the green light.

The unit could have been based at either Worcester-shire Royal Hospital or the Alexandra Hospital in Redditch but experts recommended it be based at the Royal yesterday.

Bosses at Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust are expected to ratify the decision at a meeting next Thursday.

John Rostill, the trust’s chief executive, said: “The recommendation from the partnership board is that it goes to Worcester and I see no reason why that won’t be agreed by both boards.”

As previously reported, a radiotherapy unit at Wor-cester will mean cancer patients no longer have to travel out of county to Cheltenham, Coventry and Wolverhampton for treatment.

Worcester’s MP Robin Walker said: “I’m delighted. I think it’s very good news we have got the decision.

"It’s clearly something that’s in the interest of anyone living in the west and south of the county and in Worcester. I’m very pleased with the outcome.”

As previously reported in the Worcester News the radiotherapy will be delivered via a partnership between Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust and University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust.

Both trusts will work together to provide the service by the end of 2013.

The new arrangements will mean 95 per cent of radiotherapy and almost all chemotherapy can be delivered within Worcestershire.

Mr Rostill said he expected the new radiotherapy unit would be based in what is now the Royal’s A&E car park but said the spaces lost would be provided elsewhere.