Islanders receiving long-term radiotherapy at the UK hospital stay at Manor House, near Southampton Airport.

The unit, which opened in 2003, was intended to offer most patients their own rooms, but most have to share.

Peter Roffey, Minister for the Health and Social Services Department, said that was not acceptable.

He said: "There have been some ways in which it has not fulfilled all our expectations.

"In particular, we thought that people having to share rooms would be the exception rather than the norm.

"The way it has worked out is that just about everybody has to share rooms, which is not ideal if you are suddenly diagnosed with cancer and have to go away for six weeks."