A SUFFOLK health chief involved in the decision to move head and neck cancer services from Ipswich Hospital has resigned, it emerged today.

A SUFFOLK health chief involved in the decision to move head and neck cancer services from Ipswich Hospital has resigned, it emerged today.

Caroline Tuohy, director of commissioning and development at Suffolk Primary Care Trust (PCT), will step down from her role in August to study at university.

She will be replaced by Tracy Dowling, who is currently director of service delivery and improvement at Ipswich Hospital.

Ms Tuohy wrote Suffolk PCT's response to the consultation into controversial plans to scrap head and neck cancer surgery at Ipswich Hospital which saw the PCT agree to the plans in principal.

The Evening Star is fighting the move and so far more than 3,000 people have signed our petition.

Carole Taylor-Brown, chief executive of Suffolk PCT said: “We are very much looking forward to working with Tracy Dowling, our new director of strategic commissioning, when she joins us in the near future.

“She will replace Caroline Tuohy who is leaving us to study at the University of East Anglia.

“Our thanks go to Caroline for her hard work over the past 19 months in helping us to commission better healthcare services for Suffolk people.

Meanwhile Andrew Reed, chief executive at Ipswich Hospital, said: “Tracy has been an invaluable member of the board for the past two-and-a-half years.

“She is a wonderful person who has worked exceptionally hard for the trust and we are delighted that she is going to remain working in the NHS in Suffolk.”

Are you worried about plans to move head and neck cancer surgery from Ipswich Hospital? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich IP4 1AN or e-mail eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk.