by Simon Tulett

A dying grandfather from Gravesend says health bosses are denying him his last chance of survival because of the price tag on a new high-tech cancer treatment.

Brendan Moriarty has been told new radiotherapy treatment could rid him of the bowel cancer slowly killing him.

But NHS West Kent, the health trust responsible for his care, has refused the 67-year-old the £22,000 operation, which could be his last chance of survival.

The retired police officer, from Astra Drive, Gravesend, believes he is being refused CyberKnife treatment because of its price tag. The health trust, however, says there is not enough evidence to prove the effectiveness of the £2million machine - a robotic radiotherapy surgery system.

Mr Moriarty said: "I thought the health service was about care. It should be about the best possible treatment for the patient.

"It's a lot of money to me and you, but it's peanuts to the health service."

Mr Moriarty's doctor, Andrew Gaya, who is a consultant at Guys and St Thomas' Hospital, London, is almost certain his patient's life would be saved with the treatment.

Dr Gaya added: "They say the treatment is experimental, but what's experimental about radiotherapy? I know I can get enough radiation in there to potentially get rid of it all. That's a fact."

Ironically, the NHS will have its own CyberKnife machine within six months, but that will be too late for Mr Moriarty, who only has a few months of chemotherapy remaining.

Dr James Thallon, NHS West Kent's medical director said: "The funding panel initially declined, finding that there wasn't sufficient evidence that the treatment would be beneficial.

"However, the clinician who referred the case has provided new information which will be considered by the panel before they make a decision."

A final verdict is due on Monday, December 7.