Press release
History repeats itself as HM Queen Elizabeth II
officially opens the new “jewel in the crown” of Harley Street’s
prestigious medical district
Queen Elizabeth II cuts the ribbon of The
London Clinic’s pioneering new cancer centre, 78 years after the
original hospital was opened by her late mother
The London Clinic – the UK’s largest, independently
owned hospital – has today [Wednesday 31 March 2010] welcomed HM
Queen Elizabeth II to its pioneering cancer centre as she,
accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh, officially opened the new
£80millon purpose
built building.
The royal visit is a fitting tribute to the
heritage of this established and world-famous hospital, which was
first opened in February 1932 by The Duchess of York (later Queen
Elizabeth the Queen Mother).
Above photograph: Her
Majesty The Queen unveils a plaque at The London Clinic’s new £80
million cancer centre, alongside the Chief Executive Malcolm
Miller and Chairman Michael Abrahams CBE DL.
HM The Queen was greeted by The London
Clinic’s Chairman, Michael Abrahams CBE DL and The Duchess of
Devonshire, a Trustee, and was shown around the hospital by the
Clinic’s Chief Executive, Malcolm Miller and Matron, Amanda
Hallums. During their hour long visit, the royal party also met
clinicians, experts, staff and patients currently being treated at
the new
cancer centre.
The state-of-the-art facility (which opened
its doors to the first patients in December, 2009) is the largest
new build in the private healthcare sector in the past 30 years. It
has been in development for over five years and combines
cutting-edge technology with a progressive approach to cancer care.
Designed exclusively with the “patient in mind”, the impressive new
centre boasts unique facilities to help patients and their families
feel relaxed and comfortable. This holistic approach includes
specialist nurse and counselling support and The Richard Hambro
Macmillan Information Centre which is open to anyone affected by
cancer.
Above photograph: Her Majesty The Queen,
Matron of The London Clinic, Amanda Hallums and cancer patient
Barbara Bright who is undergoing chemotherapy treatment at The
London Clinic for breast cancer. Ms Bright was born at The
London Clinic in 1951.
Below photograph: Her Majesty The
Queen watching a demonstration of the world-famous ‘CyberKnife’
robotic radiosurgery system, one of only two currently in use in
the UK. CyberKnife offers new hope to patients with complex and
previously inoperable tumours as it delivers radiation with
pinpoint precision.
Over £6million has been invested in major new items
of radiotherapy, radiosurgery and imaging equipment – and it is one
of the first hospitals in the UK to offer two of the world’s
leading technologies for cancer patients:
- CyberKnife® Robotic Radiosurgery System
- a non-invasive and pain free alternative to surgery for the
treatment of both cancerous and non-cancerous tumours. It destroys
tumours with high-dose beams of radiation and is able to treat any
part of the body with pinpoint precision, minimising radiation
exposure of surrounding healthy tissue and critical
organs.
- Trilogy® System with
RapidArcTM delivers radiation directly into
tumours, thereby lessening the risk of attacking the surrounding
healthy tissue, at a greater speed than other conventional
radiotherapy treatments.
Malcolm Miller, Chief Executive of The London
Clinic said: “This has been a very special day in the history of
the Clinic and we are extremely proud and privileged that Her
Majesty has visited our new cancer hospital and has had the
opportunity to meet some of our staff, consultant oncologists and
patients who are currently being treated here.
“Today’s official opening marks the dawn of
a new era in cancer treatment and care. We believe our new
facilities, equipment and team of experts will provide renewed hope
and optimism for cancer patients and their families and will help
put the UK back on the
cancer map.”
Chairman of The London Clinic, Michael
Abrahams CBE DL, said: “The London Clinic has a long tradition of
excellence in patient care. The new cancer centre combines the
expertise of our dedicated team with the most up to date technology
and equipment. We are thrilled that Her Majesty has done us the
great honour of opening this groundbreaking new hospital.”
- ENDS -
For more press information, or to request
photographs from the official opening of The London Clinic Cancer
Centre, please call Jo Hudson or Jo Gulliver on 020 8786 3860 /
0770 948 7961 or email pressoffice@thelondonclinic.co.uk
For further information or to
experience a virtual tour of the new cancer centre, please visit:
cancercarelondon.com
THE LONDON CLINIC: SUPPLEMENTARY
INFORMATION SHEET:
- The London Clinic is the UK’s largest
independently-owned hospital
- 271 patient rooms and 12 operating theatres
including dedicated endoscopy suites and a day
surgery unit
- 24 hour consultant-led Intensive Care Unit
with 11 beds
- As a registered charity and not-for-profit
organisation, The London Clinic is able to
continuously reinvest in the latest
medical technology, facilities and clinical and
nursing support
- Highly complex procedures in addition to
routine surgery and medicine such as live donor
liver and kidney transplants
- Multidisciplinary teams also mean that the
level and continuity of personalised patient care
will be unrivalled. Consultant
surgeons and physicians will be supported by: clinical
assistants; specialist dieticians; and
a number of clinical nurse specialists in the areas of pain
management, infection control,
endocrinology and diabetes, gynaecology, colorectal, urology,
liver and breast
care
- Alongside the existing and comprehensive
oncology and haematology services at The London
Clinic (which includes stem cell
transplants, chemotherapy and sophisticated cancer screening
techniques) we offer the following:
* Surgical,
radiological (including radio frequency ablation) and medical
interventions for
advanced disease - as well as fatigue management and end of life
care
*
Radioactive nuclear medicine treatments – with the ability to nurse
patients in
specifically allocated rooms
*
The London Clinic Breast Centre – offering a range of specialist
services from
screening, diagnosis and treatment through to re-constructive
surgery
*
Dedicated oncology pharmacy with sterile unit for preparation of
chemotherapy agents -
staffed by
specialist oncology pharmacists
*
Stem cell transplant unit - a major London collection centre for
stem cells for the
Anthony
Nolan Trust and the British Bone Marrow Registry for peripheral
blood stem cell
collection
and bone marrow harvesting
*
Endoscopy unit offering comprehensive range of bowel cancer
screening options
including Faecal Occult Blood testing, flexible sigmoidoscopy, CT
(virtual) colonography
and
colonoscopy
* Dedicated
colposcopy suite run by consultant gynaecologists who are fully
accredited by
the
British Society of Colposcopy and have extensive experience in
performing
colposcopy examinations
*
Nurse and counselling support (including the ‘drop in’ Richard
Hambro Macmillan Cancer
Information Centre)
*
Complementary therapies include acupuncture aromatherapy massage,
reflexology
and
reiki