Hundreds of cancer patients have been contacted health trust over concerns they may have been mistreated.

Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust have sent letters to 1,200 prostate and bladder cancer patients after a review found 27 people were harmed following treatment by a consultant urologist between 2006 and 2013.

Paul Miller was suspended in December last year and no longer works at the trust.

The General Medical Council confirmed he is currently unable to treat urological cancer patients pending an investigation.

In a statement, the trust, who have not publicly named Mr Miller, said a panel of experts found 27 patients "came to harm because of the treatment they received under the former trust urologist's care", including five who have since died.

A further "small number of patients" were also given treatment below hospital standards but the panel found they were not harmed as a consequence, it added.

Figures from the NHS trust, which was formed in April 1998 following a merger between East Surrey Healthcare NHS and Crawley Horsham NHS Trusts, said there were no concerns about the care received by the remaining patients,.

Des Holden, the trust's medical director, said: "On behalf of the trust, I apologise unreservedly for the errors in these patients' treatment.

“I acknowledge and appreciate that the outcome of the clinical review and the content of the letters will be deeply distressing to our patients and their families and I am very sorry."

Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust has set up a hotline for patients and their families on Monday to Friday, between 11am-7pm, and the number is 0808 168 7754.