LEADING cancer specialists will be saying a fond farewell after clocking up 40 years of dedicated service to patients in north Essex.

Anna Wordley and Dr Bruce Sizer will leave the East Suffolk and North Essex Trust this month.

Anna, a gastrointestinal nurse consultant, joined Colchester Hospital in 1999 and took up her existing post in 2005.

Since then she has led the development of specialist services including the bowel cancer screening service.

She was also appointed the first colorectal cancer clinical nurse specialist at the hospital.

Anna said: “I have been enormously privileged to work alongside such supportive, forward-thinking, patient-focused clinicians and support staff for all these years. I have loved it.”

Dr Sizer was appointed consultant in clinical oncology at Essex County Hospital in 1996 and has seen more than 10,000 new cancer patients over the past 24 years.

He was also clinical director of cancer services from 1999 to 2006, before being appointed joint clinical director of the Essex Cancer Network until 2008.

Since 2014 he has been honorary research professor at the Essex University.

Over the years he has recruited almost 1,000 patients to national and international clinical studies.

Dr Sizer said: “This work has been supported by a small but dedicated clinical research team, collecting data on effectiveness of new treatments, side effects and quality of life.”

During his career Dr Sizer has also seen the facilities at Colchester Hospital improved significantly to treat patients with cancer. He said: “It has been a great privilege to work with such fabulous colleagues over all these years.

“I will miss their camaraderie and enthusiasm, but I know they will continue to do their best for patients in such difficult circumstances.”