Healthcare in London: Fourth Edition

HEALTHCARE IN LONDON FOURTH EDITION

Pioneering robotic surgery Enabling better patient outcomes

At Cromwell Hospital, our advanced surgical programme includes the da Vinci robot.

This highly advanced tool offers significant benefits, providing surgeons with enhanced vision, greater precision and control.

The benefits to patients include faster recovery times, and in many cases improved clinical outcomes.

cromwellhospital.com

@CromwellHospitalLondon

@CromwellHosp

Cromwell Hospital

Image ©2021 Intuitive Surgical, Inc.

HEALTHCARE IN LONDON FOURTH EDITION

Published by Senate Publishing www.senatepublishing.co.uk | +44 (0) 20 7723 9825 | info@senatepublishing.co.uk Chairman Lord David Evans | Chief executive Caroline Minshell | Managing editor Barry Davies | Art editor J-P Stanway Printed by Grafo S.A. | Cover image credits: Guy's and St Thomas'/Royal Brompton and Harefield Hospitals; OneWelbeck; The Royal Marsden

© 2021. The entire contents of this publication are protected by copyright. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means: electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher. The views and opinions expressed by independent authors and contributors in this publication are provided in the writers’ personal capacities and are their sole responsibility. Their publication does not imply that they represent the views or opinions of Senate Publishing and must neither be regarded as constituting advice on any matter whatsoever, nor be interpreted as such. The reproduction of advertisements in this publication does not in any way imply endorsement by Senate Publishing of products or services referred to therein.

CONTENTS INTRODUCTION

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A WARM WELCOME BACK TO LONDON Lord David Evans of Watford

CHOOSING LONDON FOR HEALTHCARE

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WORLD-CLASS HEALTHCARE IN A HERITAGE SETTING The Howard de Walden Estate

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HCA HEALTHCARE

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DELIVERING EXCEPTIONAL CARE DURING COVID-19 Cromwell Hospital

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ONE WELBECK

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GROWTH AND INNOVATION ARE THE KEY TO SUCCESS Andrew Chadwick-Jones, CEO, OneWelbeck

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TRANSFORMING HEALTHCARE SERVICES Guy’s and St Thomas’ Private Healthcare and Royal Brompton & Harefield Hospitals Specialist Care

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THE LONDON CLINIC

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BRINGING A NEW MODEL OF PRIVATE CARE TO LONDON Cleveland Clinic London

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SCHOEN CLINIC ORTHOPAEDIC AND SPINAL HOSPITAL LONDON

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LEADING THE WAY IN LONG COVID CARE Cromwell Hospital

ONCOLOGY

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WORLD-LEADING CANCER TREATMENT AND CARE The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust

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CHAMPIONING A HOLISTIC APPROACH TO BREAST CANCER CARE Jennifer Rusby, Consultant Oncoplastic Breast Surgeon, The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust

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WORLD-CLASS CANCER CARE Cromwell Hospital

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GENESISCARE World-class cancer care partners with Cromwell Hospital

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CUTTING-EDGE TREATMENT FOR PROSTATE CANCER King Edward VII’s Hospital

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PIONEERING ROBOTIC SURGERY TECHNIQUES Charles Evans, Colorectal Surgeon, King Edward VII’s Hospital

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ADVANCED ONCOTHERAPY

WOMEN'S HEALTH

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A HOLISTIC APPROACH TO WOMEN'S HEALTH Dr Shahzadi Harper, founder of The Harper Clinic

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LEADING A REVOLUTION IN REPRODUCTION London Women’s Clinic

MENTAL HEALTH

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OUTSTANDING PSYCHIATRIC CARE Nightingale Hospital London

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SCHOEN CLINIC DAY CENTRE FOR MENTAL HEALTH CHELSEA

EXPERIENCE LONDON

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REGENT STREET AND ST JAMES'S

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ST JAMES'S HOTEL AND CLUB

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EMMA WILLIS

100 AKASHA HOLISTIC WELLBEING AT HOTEL CAFÉ ROYAL 106 VEERASWAMY 110

RAPHA

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INTRODUCTION

Lord David Evans of Watford

A WARM WELCOME BACK TO LONDON Having played an important part in the UK's pandemic response, the capital's private healthcare providers are ready to receive international patients

Once again, it is my great pleasure to welcome you to Healthcare in London, profiling the leading private healthcare options for international patients. This fourth edition comes at a particularly important time, as global tourism begins to reawaken following the lengthy pause as a result of the pandemic.

In common with most of the world, the consequences of Covid-19 on the UK and its capital city have been profound.

At the peak of the crisis, London’s leading private hospitals and clinics stepped in to support the country’s National Health Service by making available its facilities and staff to treat patients affected by disruption to regular healthcare provision.

The success of the UK vaccine rollout programme has enabled the country to control the spread of the virus and enabled daily life to return to near normality, allowing London’s private healthcare providers to welcome back international visitors. As you would expect,

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each of these hospitals and clinics has implemented the necessary processes to create a Covid-safe environment.

Emphasising the collective response to the pandemic, in these pages the Cromwell Hospital recalls the effort to maintain vital health services and explains the safeguards that have been put in place, as well as its services for those suffering the symptoms of Long Covid.

Despite the disruption, London’s private healthcare services and facilities have continued to develop at an impressive pace. This edition of Healthcare in London highlights these exciting advances, including the ongoing expansion of OneWelbeck’s day surgery and outpatient diagnostic clinics, and the Royal Brompton & Harefield Hospitals’ merger with Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust to form one of Europe’s largest healthcare organisations.

The UK’s position at the forefront of cancer treatment and research is reflected in the growing number of new facilities and

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services available to those seeking the best in care. Among those we hear from in this edition are the Royal Marsden Hospital, which has recently opened its new private care facility in Cavendish Square, and King Edward VII’s Hospital, which highlights the latest robotic technologies for minimally invasive prostate and colorectal operations. GenesisCare also brings us news of MRIdian, a new MRIguided radiotherapy that will change the way in which many cancers are treated.

It is pleasing to see that media coverage of women’s health has been increasing, thus helping to break down barriers and raise awareness of issues affecting women of all ages. We are delighted to welcome to this edition Dr Shahzadi Harper, founder of the Harper Clinic, who shares her perspectives on giving women back their power over their own health. Also, London Women’s Clinic focuses on reproductive medicine, egg donation and new technologies in egg freezing, which are transforming women’s fertility treatment.

Another subject receiving widespread media coverage is mental health, not least because of the effects of the pandemic restrictions that have seen many more people seeking help. Nightingale Hospital and Schoen Clinic both outline their services to treat a wide range of mental health conditions, including addictions and eating disorders.

Finally, we conclude this edition with a look at the luxury brands and experiences that patients and their companions can enjoy in London – from hospitality and high-quality tailoring to cycling and spa treatments – all of which are guaranteed to enhance any visitor’s stay.

I am sure you will agree that London’s combination of medical expertise and its unique attractions make the UK capital a world-beating destination for both medical and leisure tourism. I know you will receive a warm reception as London welcomes the world once more – we look forward to seeing you!

1 ‘Thank you’ banners adorn the streets of London’s popular Covent Garden, acknowledging the effort and sacrifices made by the capital’s healthcare and key workers during the course of the pandemic (PHOTO: CK TRAVELS/SHUTTERSTOCK)

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CHOOSING LONDON FOR HEALTHCARE

WORLD-CLASS HEALTHCARE IN A HERITAGE SETTING Over the past 20 years, the Harley Street Medical Area (HSMA) has been completely transformed – on the inside at least. To anyone strolling through the historic streetscape that plays host to this unparalleled concentration of private healthcare facilities, the momentous changes that have taken place might not be immediately apparent. Certainly, the beauty of the period buildings and the sedate charm of the streets upon which they sit has not been altered in any meaningful way. But behind the area’s doors, a significant shift has occurred.

1 An array of dining experiences awaits visitors to Marylebone Village, part of the Howard de Walden Estate (PHOTO: HDWE)

Harley Street has been closely associated with medicine for well over a century, but the area’s reputation has never been stronger. In its role as the area’s landlord and steward, The Howard de Walden Estate has spent the past two decades gradually ramping up a substantial

programme of improvements designed to create world-class healthcare facilities.

In tandem, it has sought out healthcare providers at the very top of their respective fields to work within these buildings.

This pursuit of excellence has given the area an increasingly international feel, with the likes of Schoen Clinic from Germany, Mayo Clinic from the United States and Isokinetic from Italy establishing a presence in the HSMA, alongside some of the UK’s most impressive operators.

One of the main aims of Howard de Walden’s strategy has been to create an offering that appeals not just to British patients, but to patients from every corner of the world – a task made more compelling by some of the area’s other facets: its accessibility from every continent and its impressive array of hotels, restaurants and other amenities.

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CHOOSING LONDON FOR HEALTHCARE

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2-3 King Edward VII's Hospital, one of the HSMA's longest-established facilities, is due to open its new Kantor Medical Centre in late 2021 (PHOTOS: KING EDWARD VII'S HOSPITAL) | 4-5 Top-quality shopping and hospitality sit in close proximity to world-class medical centres in the Howard de Walden Estate (PHOTOS: HDWE)

Unsurprisingly, the Covid-19 pandemic has had an impact on the HSMA’s development, but Howard de Walden’s plans have generally been disrupted, rather than derailed. In the past year, The Royal Marsden Private Care has opened a dedicated diagnostics and treatment centre on Cavendish Square. Part of the private arm of The Royal Marsden NHS (National Health Service) Foundation Trust – one of the UK’s leading cancer hospitals – it offers access to eminent cancer specialists in a state-of-the-art building. Weymouth Street Hospital, part of the Phoenix Hospital Group, has undergone an expansion, adding a complex of four state-of-the-art theatres.

In September 2021, the HSMA will welcome the opening of Cleveland Clinic London’s diagnostic and outpatient facility, a clinic at which many of the patients for the new British outpost of the highly regarded American nonprofit multispecialty academic medical centre will begin and end their treatment journey. Also due to open in the autumn

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of 2021 is King Edward VII’s Hospital’s new Kantor Medical Centre, which provides 25 additional consulting rooms and a stateof-the-art diagnostic centre in a building across the street from the main hospital building. Another of the area’s longestablished cornerstones, The London Clinic, has also taken additional space: a substantially refurbished Grade II-listed period building at 142-146 Harley Street.

New development While the pandemic may have slowed some building projects, Howard de Walden has secured planning for a 13,000 sq ft medical facility development at 27-29 Harley Street. The development, which is being marketed for a single occupier, is due to complete in Q2 2022 and will be capable of accommodating a diagnostic and minor procedures operator.

The pandemic has also accelerated some positive change within the HSMA, with healthcare providers finding new ways to continue to offer the services their patients rely upon, through innovation

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and investment in technology. Their ability to provide sophisticated remote consultations has grown considerably – something that will continue to be of great utility, particularly for international patients, even after travel restrictions have been removed.

Stronger connections The Covid-19 response has also tightened the connections between the HSMA and the NHS. It is a link that has always been there: a large proportion of the clinicians who work within the HSMA split their time between private practice and NHS roles, and several of our clinics, including The Royal Marsden Private Care, RB&HH Specialist Care and Moorfields Private, are the private-care arms of highly regarded NHS trusts.

The pandemic brought the public and private spheres even closer. With international patients unable to travel in for treatment, HSMA hospitals found themselves with spare capacity, meaning that many of them were able to put their

people, facilities and equipment at the disposal of their NHS colleagues at a time of acute need. Looking forward, there is a considerable job to be done to tackle the backlog of diagnostic and medical procedures that had to be postponed during the crisis, and those relationships between the two sectors are likely to be drawn upon for years to come.

The past year’s interruptions have certainly not stopped Howard de Walden from planning for the future of the HSMA. One priority is the creation of a step-down facility for post-operative patients that no longer need to be in hospital, but still need some focused help with their rehabilitation. The establishment of a life-sciences research facility is also being actively explored – the belief being that a presence for this increasingly important and dynamic field would complement the area’s exceptional primary healthcare services. The Harley Street Medical Area has changed a great deal in recent years, but those changes show no sign of stalling.

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L E A D E R S I N CO M P L E X C A R E Each year, thousands of people from around the world travel to London for specialist treatment at one of HCA Healthcare UK’s hospitals. Our International Services Group is dedicated to providing patients and their families access to expert care at HCA UK’s facilities.

Patients travelling to the UK for treatment at one of our hospitals can expect to receive seamless care tailored to their unique needs. We offer personalised services for

CO N TAC T

our international patients, including on-site interpreters and assistance with admissions.

HCA UK is a leading private healthcare provider in the UK, offering a world-class network of over 30 facilities. We work with over 3,000 carefully selected consultants who are experts in their specialties and at the forefront of global clinical excellence. Our London hospitals consistently deliver specialist and complex care, including cardiac surgery, cancer care, stem cell transplants and neurorehabilitation.

US

We are here to answer any questions you may have about international referrals to an HCA UK hospital. For patients with time-critical complex care needs, we are able to offer urgent referrals.

To speak to a member of our International Services team, please contact: Call: +44 (0)20 7563 8020 Email: embassy@hcahealthcare.co.uk

R E VO LU T I O N A RY N E W C A R D I AC S E RV I C E S At HCA UK, we are proud of our exceptional facilities at our three London cardiac centres of excellence: The Harley Street Clinic, London Bridge Hospital and The Wellington Hospital. Across our hospitals we have six cardiac theatres, seven cardiac catheter labs and three cardiac intensive care units, in addition to non-invasive diagnostic units.

Our cardiologists and cardiac surgeons are pioneers in their field, continuously delivering life-changing treatments.

The Harley Street Clinic is the first and only private hospital in London to offer patients CaRi-Heart® analysis. This revolutionary new, non-invasive technology can assess the risk of a serious heart condition or heart attack many years before an attack occurs.

The service is suitable for any patients with a pre-existing heart condition or a family history of heart disease. A routine cardiac CT coronary angiogram is carried out in order to receive CaRi-Heart® risk analysis. Patients with a troubling result are recommended to one of our cardiologists to receive a personalised prevention and management plan.

E X P E RT

C A N C E R

We provide expert cancer care through our unique network of cancer specialists, hospitals, treatment centres, outpatient clinics and our dedicated research institute.

Patients can receive all the care they need at HCA UK, from genetic testing and diagnostics through to surgery, tailored treatment therapies and integrated supportive care.

HCA UK is committed to finding new and more targeted ways to diagnose and treat cancer.

Our molecular diagnostic lab, Sarah Cannon

C A R E

Molecular Diagnostics, provides genomic tests that can distinguish the unique characteristics of a tumour and identify the best way to target those cancer cells.

Our dedicated cancer research institute, The Sarah Cannon Research Institute, provides access to early-phase clinical trials. This means our patients have access to new drugs and therapies at the earliest opportunity, in some cases months or even years before they become standard therapies.

CHOOSING LONDON FOR HEALTHCARE

DELIVERING EXCEPTIONAL CARE DURING COVID-19 Since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, we have seen the world evolve at an unprecedented rate, with restrictions imposed on how we live our lives – from work to socialising to travelling.

Meanwhile, healthcare providers across the world have faced the greatest challenge of their lifetime, forced to adapt their processes and policies in order to keep their patients and people safe, whilst still delivering much needed healthcare services.

At Cromwell Hospital, we assessed the situation and adapted our ways of working rapidly, not only to continue to provide excellent care to our private patients, but also to support our National Health Service (NHS) during the crisis.

“In every corner of the hospital, I’ve been incredibly impressed and humbled by the care and dedication I’ve seen

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throughout the pandemic," says Phillip Luce, CEO at Cromwell Hospital.

"As a hospital, we have tackled the challenges we have faced, implemented new processes, and done our utmost to deliver the best care to our patients.

Through times of immense worry, anxiety and pressure, we’ve supported our patients, consultants and each other, and delivered outstanding care and service to our patients when they needed it most.”

In response to the new environment, we have made important changes to how our hospital operates so that we can deliver our services safely and efficiently.

Enhanced safety measures As soon as the pandemic started to gain momentum in the UK, we put in place strict Covid safety measures and guidelines to keep our teams, patients, and their families safe, including:

− Screening our patients for − − − −

Covid-19 infection; Regular testing of our consultants and staff; Enhanced cleaning policies; Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for all our staff; Enforced social distancing throughout the hospital.

Although restrictions have eased across England, we are maintaining these measures across the hospital to ensure it remains a Covid-safe environment.

Virtual care During the pandemic, we saw a trend of reluctance from patients to access healthcare services, due to local lockdowns and because of the risks associated with travelling and attending a hospital appointment. We recognised there was a need to implement new systems to enable us to continue to deliver the services our patients needed, remotely.

We introduced a new virtual consultation platform, whereby patients can speak to their consultant, a private GP or another member of their healthcare team from home, over a secure video call.

Since its launch, we have conducted over 1,000 virtual consultations, providing expert advice and support to patients who otherwise may not have been able to access care.

We continue to see our patients on-site in our hospital, but if patients would prefer virtual consultations for their peace of mind, the service is still running.

Supporting the NHS At the start of the pandemic, NHS hospitals were under unprecedented pressure to treat Covid-19 patients. Cancer patients, who are highly vulnerable to the virus, also faced having time-critical treatment postponed. We’re very proud to have supported and partnered with the NHS to deliver treatment and care to these patients during the pandemic.

We were further delighted to be selected by NHS England as one of four centres to provide specialist cancer treatment as part of the Royal Marden Cancer Hub, delivering complex treatment across breast, colorectal, endocrine, thoracic, headand-neck and urological cancers.

“Travel disruptions and restrictions across the globe have had an unprecedented impact on our international patients,” explains Fadil Fouad, Cromwell Hospital's Director of International Relations. "We are delighted that travel restrictions are gradually easing in the UK, and that the vaccine roll-out has been a success. We are very much looking forward to welcoming our international patients back soon.”

To find out more about how we continue to deliver care during coronavirus, please visit: www.cromwellhospital.com/careduringcovid Our International Patient Centre is open – the team continues to support our international patients throughout their healthcare journey, ensuring each patient’s experience is as smooth and stress-free as possible during these uncertain times

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Redefines Healthcare The capital’s most accessible and advanced destination for world class healthcare, OneWelbeck is a specialist facility for minimally-invasive day surgery and outpatient diagnostics across nine floors in the heart of London.

We empower teams of exceptional doctors, using the latest technology in dedicated centres of excellence, to deliver an effortless, personal and premium experience.

Empowered Doctors:

Our doctors are partners in the business and have a real influence in how it’s run. They work together as teams to deliver personalised treatment and collaboratively solve the most complex healthcare challenges.

Exceptional Outcomes: Our day clinic model not only reduces the time between a patient’s first visit and their diagnosis and treatment, but also creates the very best clinical outcomes. The quality of patient care is at the heart of our approach, and all our methods are supported by robust evidence.

No Ordinary Experience: We use technology and innovative design to ensure a seamless, personal healthcare journey that doesn’t begin and end at the clinic doors. Our modern, stylish clinics provide patients with a warm and comfortable environment they’ll remember, and our enhanced pre- and after-care processes mean patients continue to receive advice and help before and once they’ve left the building.

Our Specialist Centres Digestive Health London’s leading gastroenterologists offering the best in diagnostics and treatment alongside gold-standard bowel screening services.

Digestive Surgery Our experts in gastrointestinal and general surgery ensure patients receive a complete service, from consultation and testing through to surgical procedures and after-care.

Ear, Nose & Throat Custom-built outpatient and diagnostic suite for ear, nose, throat, and head and neck conditions including full audiology service.

Endocrinology Specially tailored outpatient and diagnostic suite for endocrine conditions and diseases.

Enhanced Breast Screening Designed by leading radiologists to create a seamless patient experience, from consultation and screening through to results and follow-up care, all in a private and relaxed environment.

Heart Health Cardiology centre of excellence providing consultation and testing, offering a range of services including echocardiology and 24-hour ECG through to pacemaker and other device procedures.

Imaging & Diagnostics Designed in partnership with one of the world’s leading imaging manufacturers, GE Healthcare. It comprises of a 1.5T and 3T MRI scanners, lowest-dose CT, X-ray, standing CT, and rapid blood testing.

Scan the QR code to find out more about OneWelbeck.

Lung Health Respiratory centre of excellence providing consultation and testing, offering a range of services including full lung function testing and respiratory physiotherapy.

Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine A dedicated outpatient consulting and diagnostic clinic founded by leading orthopaedic and sports medicine experts, and equipped with the latest diagnostic innovations.

Rheumatology Specialist team dedicated to treating multiple conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus.

Skin Health & Allergy Bringing together leading dermatologists and allergists to create a bespoke service, with testing and procedures all carried out in-house and often same-day.

Surgery Centre Our minimally invasive surgery centre boasts three theatres, and has been designed by our leading surgeons to ensure a calm and high quality experience with all private en-suite patient rooms.

Women’s Health & Gynaecology Specialist centre for female health and reproductive conditions, offering outpatient consultations, diagnostic tests, and minor outpatient procedures in a relaxed environment.

To learn more about our centres and how to refer patients, please contact us at: t. 020 3653 0670 w. onewelbeck.com a. 1 Welbeck Street, London, W1G 0AR

CHOOSING LONDON FOR HEALTHCARE

Andrew Chadwick-Jones, OneWelbeck CEO, reveals how the hospital flourished during the pandemic and its plans for further expansion

GROWTH AND INNOVATION ARE THE KEY TO SUCCESS OneWelbeck has been through a rapid period of expansion in the past year. What new departments do you now have?

We now have 12 different departments at OneWelbeck, including our Digestive Health and Heart Health teams, which are now, I believe, the biggest of their kind in the UK. We also have teams in Orthopaedics, Imaging & Diagnostics, Digestive Surgery, a surgery centre, and an Enhanced Breast Screening clinic. One of our new teams is Women’s Health, which, like all our other teams, has a dedicated clinic with any scans conducted on-site, and staggered appointments to ensure calm and privacy. The team is run

by Professor Dame Lesley Regan, who

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is the former head of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

Over the past year, we have also added an Ear, Nose & Throat clinic (ENT), which is run by Professor Shak Saeed, the clinical director of the Royal National ENT Hospital. Another addition to our offering has been the Skin Health & Allergy team, which encompasses a range of dermatologists and allergists to provide patients with the best possible care. We have also established an Endocrinology team, complete with 15 endocrinologists, as well as a Lung Health team that is now the biggest private respiratory group in the UK and has been very instrumental in the treatment of long Covid.

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1-3 The facilities are OneWelbeck are designed to ensure the most comfortable and pleasant experience for patients as possible (PHOTO: SIMON JARRETT) 2

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CHOOSING LONDON FOR HEALTHCARE

Each team is organised along subspecialisations, which is exciting because healthcare in London has not traditionally been organised in this way, and it means that when a patient comes into one of clinics, they see the right clinician straight away. With Lung Health, for instance, this covers just about everything from lung diseases such as tuberculosis to interstitial lung disease, lung cancer, asthma and airway issues with sleep.

4-6 With its specialist teams all located in the same building, OneWelbeck is one of the most accessible centres for private healthcare (PHOTO: SIMON JARRETT)

OneWelbeck is distinctive because all its doctors are invested as business partners. What difference does this make to the way it is run?

OneWelbeck is now the largest doctor partnership in the UK, and our model is so successful because every doctor in each department is recruited directly by the other medics in that team, who are all partners and invested in the business. The fact that every member of our medical staff has been selected by the other doctors on their teams is incredibly reassuring for our patients, as they are guaranteed to receive consistent and exceptional levels of care.

There is a great sense of pride within the hospital, as well as an enormous amount of experience, because so many of our clinicians have had leadership roles within the National Health Service (NHS) and they also have exceptional academic credentials. Being invested in OneWelbeck gives many of these highly established specialists the chance to consolidate

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decades of experience. They can develop the very best practice within their clinics, as they know what works and what doesn’t.

How does OneWelbeck’s unique model benefit the patient?

As each doctor is personally attached to the institution, they are deeply involved in its success, and completely committed to the comfort and ease of the patient journey. The most senior clinicians recruit members of staff that they know are the very best in their fields, which guarantees a unique level of patient service. The doctors at OneWelbeck spend a lot of time trying to find new ways to support and inform their patients too.

For instance, our Digestive Health team has an app with 300 personalised videos of different procedures, which patients can watch before coming into the clinic.

This simply wouldn’t be possible in places where the specialists so often change.

Then, of course, there is the fact that our specialist teams are located across nine floors of the same building, which makes it one of the most accessible centres for private healthcare. Usually, these services would be more fragmented and spread across multiple sites.

Obviously, it’s been a very difficult period for healthcare across the world. What sort of challenges has OneWelbeck faced during the pandemic?

When the pandemic first started, we put the hospital at the service of the NHS, and our doctors made the decision not to charge the NHS for any contractual work we had done. Our other priority was to ensure that we could continue to deliver care to our patients, which we achieved by ensuring we had enough personal protective equipment in place for our doctors to treat our patients.

Like most other private facilities, we don’t treat sick Covid-19 patients, but we have developed a reputation as a private specialist in long Covid. For this, we have used a multidisciplinary approach across various teams, including Lung Health, ENT, Endocrinology, Digestive Health and Heart Health. I think the doctors at OneWelbeck are very aware of the longer-term implications of Covid and feel very strongly that, as the NHS is so busy dealing with acute Covid, there need to be more resources for those

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suffering with the longer-term effects of the virus. The teams have set up various resources on the subject, including a dedicated microsite and a YouTube channel that are available to the public.

Will the pandemic change the way that OneWelbeck does things in the future?

We are fortunate to have an incredibly modern building, and hygiene has obviously been a priority. The hospital has its own air plant, so we have been running up to 15 air changes an hour, exceeding regulations, and this is something we will continue to do.

We have also embraced numerous technological advances because of the pandemic, such as using dual-energy CT scans that enable us to provide a more detailed picture of lung damage.

The most fundamental change that will stay in place is the increase in online consultations, which means that people can be seen a lot quicker. It also ensures that our international patients have a lot more flexibility. For example, if you live in the Middle East, you can book an initial online consultation without

having to travel. This has resulted in a delocalisation of healthcare, as we are able to see far more patients remotely.

What are OneWelbeck’s plans for the future?

Our aim is to be the highest-quality, most renowned clinic in London, and we will achieve that by continuing to expand. This will start with our Imaging & Diagnostics centre, which has been a huge success, so the challenge is to find more space so that we can do this. Our specialist teams work incredibly well, and I think we really have discovered a winning formula. Our ethos is simple – get the best doctors and allow them to develop outstanding clinics.

“There is a great sense of pride within the hospital, as well as an enormous amount of experience”

We are also very committed to implementing the latest medical breakthroughs, so our role as a leading private hospital is to turn academic research into new clinical techniques, which can pioneer throughout the private sector and the NHS. We have been busy building up academic partnerships and collaborations to ensure that we can give our patients the very best new treatments – not just in London, but the world.

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CHOOSING LONDON FOR HEALTHCARE

TRANSFORMING HEALTHCARE SERVICES Private patients will now benefit from the combined expertise provided by Guy’s and St Thomas’ Private Healthcare and Royal Brompton & Harefield Hospitals Specialist Care

Royal Brompton & Harefield Hospitals' merger with Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust in February 2021 formed one of the largest and strongest healthcare organisations in Europe. Since 2017, Guy’s and St Thomas’ and Royal Brompton & Harefield NHS Foundation Trusts have been working together, and with colleagues across King’s Health Partners, to develop plans to transform care for adults and children with heart and lung disease.

The merger of the two NHS foundation trusts means the creation of a newly expanded Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, with Royal Brompton and Harefield forming a new Clinical Group within the Trust. This means our clinicians and teams continue to build on the partnership work established over the last three years, working more closely together, and generally providing services to the same patients and in the same places as they do now.

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With our combined expertise, clinical and academic teams are now unparalleled and will continue to deliver exceptional care to patients, as well as drive research forward into new and better treatments. The merger of the two Trusts provides a once-in-ageneration opportunity to combine leading specialist cardiothoracic services and transform heart and lung care on a national and international stage.

Professor Ian Abbs, Chief Executive of Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, comments, “I am looking forward to taking the next step on our exciting shared journey, both with our new colleagues and our clinical and academic partners.”

Clinical excellence in the heart of London Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust is one of the world’s most prestigious and respected teaching hospitals, with a proud history of high-

quality care, clinical excellence and innovation that dates back more than 900 years. The Trust is also part of King’s Health Partners, an Academic Health Sciences Centre that pioneers health research and provides highquality teaching and education.

The Trust’s research expertise has resulted in life-saving innovations, such as the first blood transfusion in 1818, and the world’s first mitral heart valve replacement on a beating heart in 2014.

Across all our hospitals, world-renowned consultants and specialist staff, with experience across multiple clinical services, provide outstanding clinical care using cutting-edge technology and advancements to transform patient care.

Guy’s and St Thomas’ Private Healthcare Private patients will now benefit from the combined expertise provided by Guy’s and St Thomas’ Private Healthcare and Royal Brompton & Harefield Hospitals Specialist Care with greater access to our world-leading expert heart and lung care, the latest technology and innovations.

1 International patients are supported by dedicated teams throughout their stay in hospital (PHOTO: GUY’S AND ST THOMAS’/ ROYAL BROMPTON & HAREFIELD HOSPITALS)

Guy’s and St Thomas’ Private Healthcare provides a unique combination of world-class complex care and medical services for adults and children, offering lifelong care for the whole family. With consultant-led care, and support from multidisciplinary teams, private patients are in safe and caring hands. Conveniently located in central London, patients can enjoy the comfort of a private facility and

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CHOOSING LONDON FOR HEALTHCARE

modern inpatient rooms that provide stunning views across the River Thames and the Houses of Parliament, and many of London’s iconic landmarks.

Our complex care services include cardiology, respiratory, thoracic and vascular surgery, and we have the largest adult and children’s renal transplantation programme in Europe. We also have a comprehensive range of services in paediatrics, fertility, maternity, gynaecology, general surgery and medicine.

congenital cardiology. Our innovations include the establishment of Europe’s first fetal cardiology unit and fetal cardiac catheter intervention. At Evelina London we performed the first cardiac surgery for children in the UK. We continue to pioneer new techniques in advanced cardiac imaging with a worldleading fetal cardiac MRI programme to identify pre-birth heart issues, lead the first 3D echo programme, and develop the use of artificial intelligence in advanced cardiac imaging and cardiac research.

Evelina London Children’s Hospital

2 Royal Brompton & Harefield Hospitals' specialist heart and lung centre is worldrenowned for its expertise, standard of care and research success (PHOTO: GUY’S AND ST THOMAS’/ ROYAL BROMPTON & HAREFIELD HOSPITALS)

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Evelina London, as one of only two specialist children’s hospitals in London, provides a comprehensive range of services and outstanding specialist care for babies and children who require complex multidisciplinary treatment. The hospital is honoured to have the Duchess of Cambridge as Patron of Evelina London.

We have a long and proud history, particularly in the field of paediatric and

Our comprehensive cardiac surgery programme offers the full spectrum of complex procedures for children with congenital heart disease, with published outcomes well above the national average.

Specialist consultants and multidisciplinary teams offer the highest quality of care and expertise in the management of congenital heart surgery. The teams are equipped with access to advanced imaging, technology, interventional

CHOOSING LONDON FOR HEALTHCARE

cardiology, cardiac surgery and paediatric intensive care facilities.

We have made significant investment with the opening of a new ambulatory unit, combined interventional catheterMRI suite, and a brand new cardiac and critical care unit on Sky ward. The facility offers private cubicles and a modern welcoming environment for children and families. Our future ambitious plans will transform children’s services with a new day surgery unit and hospital building with designated facilities for private and international patients.

Women’s health Our expertise in women’s services covers the full breadth of treatment for common and complex conditions in fertility, gynaecology and maternity.

The Assisted Conception Unit at Guy’s Hospital is known worldwide as an innovator in fertility treatments.

It is one of the leading providers of assisted conception techniques in the UK. A wide range of fertility treatments have been pioneered at the unit, including our pre-implantation genetic diagnosis service, which is now one of the largest in the country.

We pride ourselves on the highest standards of personalised care and offer all common assisted conception techniques, including in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), donor treatments and fertility preservation (including ovarian tissue cryopreservation) for cancer patients.

Our highly experienced teams of consultants, nurses, embryologists and counsellors are experts in investigating, assessing and treating infertility and provide dedicated support throughout the patient’s fertility journey.

We provide a comprehensive range of gynaecology services, from routine check-ups to assessment, diagnostics, and treatment. Our renowned team of consultant gynaecologists perform low-risk procedures to complex surgery and provide services for reproductive medicine, recurrent miscarriage, uterine fibroid management, endometriosis, pelvic pain and urogynaecology.

The Westminster Maternity Suite has been offering private maternity services for

over 25 years. As part of one of the UK’s most comprehensive and highly regarded NHS teaching hospitals, our highly skilled team expertly manage a range of pregnancies with access to full intensive care facilities should the need arise.

The co-location of maternity and paediatric services at Evelina London means women and children receive a comprehensive private healthcare service with a full spectrum of worldleading medical and surgical care at one location. Our obstetric consultants work closely with fetal and paediatric clinicians, supported by experienced multidisciplinary teams to provide complete care for mother and baby at every stage.

congenital heart disease interventions, coronary bypass grafting surgery and the world’s first transcatheter mitral valve replacement procedure which was performed at St Thomas’ in 2013.

Our unit is at the forefront of pioneering cardiovascular treatment, leading the way in a number of procedures such as transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). We continue to pioneer with a multidisciplinary specialist valve clinic to improve patient outcomes by integrating care pathways to deliver expert care, accurate diagnosis and timely referral for intervention. Our consultants lead in research, developing new imaging and technical solutions to otherwise complex clinical problems.

Renal services and transplantation Our renal and transplant service has been a leader in kidney care since the 1970s, and is internationally recognised as one of the largest and most established renal units in the world. We have a long history of providing comprehensive live donor transplantation and a special interest in complex transplant cases in adults and children, which attracts referrals from around the UK and internationally.

Our services include the UK’s largest antibody incompatible transplant programme for adults, and the only such programme for children. It was the first service in the UK to offer robotic transplantation and also routinely performs robot donor nephrectomy.

We also care for renal failure patients with urology problems and have specialist expertise in complex transplant urology reconstructive surgery.

Other specialist services include all aspects of renal care, including comprehensive diagnostics and treatment with subspecialist clinics including vasculitis, lupus, polycystic kidney disease, tubular disorders and other rare renal diseases. We have a large and successful haemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis programme and can offer a comprehensive service to accommodate overseas patients.

Cardiovascular health Guy’s and St Thomas’ has one of the largest cardiovascular centres in the country, providing comprehensive cardiology, cardiac and vascular services.

Our history of innovation includes the first

Specialist respiratory services Our unique respiratory service offers life-changing treatment for patients with acute severe heart or lung failure with a variety of life support technologies, including basic and advanced conventional ventilation, as well as extra-corporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) support.

Our intensive care unit (ICU) provides full multiple organ support to patients with a variety of medical and surgical problems and accommodate in-ICU rehabilitation as part of their stay. Care is provided by an experienced multidisciplinary team with significant expertise in all forms of acute lung pathology, combining novel treatment approaches with rehabilitation on ECMO that has enabled many patients to survive.

Royal Brompton & Harefield Hospitals: world-renowned specialist heart and lung care Royal Brompton & Harefield Hospitals Specialist Care is based across three convenient London locations. Private patients can choose to be treated at the Royal Brompton Hospital in Chelsea, Harefield Hospital in Middlesex, or at our dedicated outpatients and diagnostics facility in the Harley Street Medical Area.

In 2020, we were awarded as the leading ‘specialist international patient centre’ in the world by the International Medical Travel Journal (IMTJ). The award was given to us for being the specialist centre that demonstrated the greatest success in attracting and serving international patients globally.

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Dedicated heart and lung care

3-4 Patients benefit from state-of-the-art technology and the expertise of specialist teams (PHOTOS: GUY’S AND ST THOMAS’/ ROYAL BROMPTON & HAREFIELD HOSPITALS)

Royal Brompton & Harefield Hospitals Specialist Care is the largest specialist heart and lung centre in the UK. Our hospitals are known throughout the world for their expertise, standard of care and research success. From our diagnostic specialists, to our doctors and nurses, every member of our multidisciplinary team has dedicated themselves to a lifetime of advancement in this field. Their knowledge and experience in cardiothoracic care is second to none.

Our team of expert consultants can provide support in: • cardiology • cardiac surgery • intensive care • respiratory medicine • thoracic surgery • vascular surgery • paediatric care • diagnostic services and outpatients clinics • comprehensive clinical support As a large post-graduate teaching centre, Royal Brompton & Harefield hospitals can offer the very best care, 24 hours a day, with the benefit of on-site support services. Every patient can be confident that each decision made for them is founded on the most cutting-edge

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research available. We provide access to the most comprehensive range of advanced surgical, medical and diagnostic facilities. No matter where a patient’s treatment journey takes them, our worldleading experts and multidisciplinary team remain close by their side, reassuring and guiding their complete journey of care – as we have been for over 100 years.

Royal Brompton Hospital Nestled in the heart of Chelsea, Royal Brompton Hospital was founded in the 1840s and is at the forefront of advancing heart and lung care. In its first decades, the hospital was supported by kind benefactors, including the Royal Family and the author Charles Dickens.

Royal patronage has continued and the main building, Sydney Wing, was opened in 1991 by Her Majesty the Queen. In the same year, the hospital was granted a Royal Charter.

The hospital has an international reputation for the treatment of lung disease – the result of over 170 years’ experience. It is also an international leader in the treatment of heart conditions, with large research trials leading to significant developments. The development of a brand-new, state-ofthe-art imaging centre will provide the very latest imaging technology to patients.

CHOOSING LONDON FOR HEALTHCARE

On Royal Brompton Hospital’s private Sir Reginald Wilson Ward, dedicated staff care for cardiothoracic surgery patients, cardiology and respiratory patients in 28 spacious single-occupancy, en-suite rooms. “We have access to some of the most advanced diagnostic equipment and medical devices in the world,” explains general manager Fred Sendaula.

Harefield Hospital As a centre of excellence, Harefield Hospital has offered expert heart and lung care for many years. It has a long history of treating international patients. In fact, it was originally established in 1915 to treat injured soldiers from Australia and New Zealand.

Professor Sir Magdi Yacoub established the largest heart and lung transplantation programme in the world at Harefield Hospital. The current hospital building is a late Art Deco design, opened in 1937 by the Duke of Gloucester. Over the years, the hospital has increased in size and been completely refurbished with state-of-the-art facilities.

Harefield Hospital boasts modern private inpatient and outpatient areas with diagnostic suites. Juniper Ward is the dedicated private inpatient ward, offering 16 modern rooms with en-suite bathrooms. “We can arrange same-day or short-notice appointments with our respiratory and cardiac consultants. Our rapid diagnostics service offers MRI, echocardiography, CT, lung function and non-invasive tests,” explains Gerri Hamer, general manager for private patients.

77 Wimpole Street outpatients and diagnostics Based in the renowned Harley Street Medical Area, the Wimpole Street facility is Royal Brompton & Harefield Hospitals Specialist Care's central hub, offering outpatient and diagnostic care for patients with heart and lung conditions. In addition, practicing privileges are offered to other physicians and physiotherapists, who are not normally based at Royal Brompton and Harefield hospitals.

At 77 Wimpole Street, private patients are offered a range of advanced diagnostic tests on the same day as their appointment with our experts, ensuring maximum convenience in their care. Zohreh Palmer, general manager, ensures 77 Wimpole Street is a top location for patients: “We have the leading cardiac and respiratory

specialists working here, and we recently welcomed colleagues from Guy’s & St Thomas’ to provide comprehensive women’s health services at the centre.”

Services offered include: • same-day consultations for respiratory and cardiac conditions;; • the latest imaging scans, MRI, CT and PET-CT, including Rubidium cardiac imaging; • non-invasive cardiology, including cardiac monitoring, exercise tolerance tests and ECG; • other diagnostic tests, such as echocardiography, lung function, chest x-ray, and sleep studies.

International patients Across our hospitals, dedicated international patient teams are available to help by providing tailored support for each patient.

The team of international patient coordinators are fluent in Arabic, and help ensure that the patient’s cultural, religious and language needs are met. If other languages are required, a professional interpreter is present; if there are any queries, international patients can depend on the team for support.

The teams regularly liaise with embassies and international contacts and advises on referrals – such as which consultant is most appropriate for a patient’s needs – and also provide support with arranging appointments and admission to the hospital.

Each hospital also offers support for the religious and spiritual needs of patients, their relatives and friends. A multifaith prayer room offers quiet spaces to pray or reflect, with prayer mats and a male/female divider available.

RB&HH Education – developing expertise We want every patient to access the latest heart and lung care available, wherever they are in the world, and we believe the key to achieving this is professional development. That’s why we have created our new website – rbhh-education.co.uk – a one-stop resource with all our educational content and training opportunities.

Healthcare providers across the globe can access: • Events – run by Royal Brompton and Harefield hospitals, as well as all external events that relate to heart and lung care, such as virtual study days and conferences; • Expert Talks – online webinars delivered by our world-leading specialists on the latest treatments, innovations, surgical techniques and treatment guidelines; • Courses – a range of in-depth online courses developed by our experts, from cardiac imaging to surgery and medico-legal training; • B espoke training opportunities – including our clinical fellowships, clinical observerships, consultancy and collaboration opportunities, visiting doctor programme and mentoring programme.

Our overseas partners can access intensive clinical education programmes to further develop their expertise in certain interventional specialities. Programmes are designed to help training clinicians integrate into the team so they can maximise their learning outcomes and meet development needs.

To find out more about our specialist services, contact us: Guy’s and St Thomas’ Private Healthcare T: +44 (0)20 7188 5197 E: privatepatientenquiries@gstt.nhs.uk www.guysandstthomasprivatehealthcare.co.uk Royal Brompton & Harefield Hospitals Specialist Care T: +44 (0)20 3553 3180 E: privatepatients@rbht.nhs.uk www.rbhh-specialistcare.co.uk

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The London Clinic A FIRST CLASS EXPERIENCE

Helping over 120,000 patients a year back to good health, The London Clinic is one of the largest private hospitals in the UK. Our holistic, highly personalised approach to care is designed to ease any stress or worry our patients may have around the process of having a medical procedure. With an experienced international team on hand, we look after our patients’ every need, throughout their treatment journey with us, so that they can focus on their health.

In 2022, we will celebrate 90 years of delivering exceptional patient care, in our historic setting, at the heart of London’s Harley Street Medical District. This long experience has helped us build a hospital that is responsive and continually adapts to changing healthcare needs.

We offer the widest range of services and some of the most technologically advanced facilities and equipment, of any private hospital in the UK. Our seven buildings house 11 operating theatres, over 180 beds, consulting rooms and diagnostic services. We even have our own 13-bed, Intensive Care Unit (ICU), providing 24-hour, consultant-led patient support and reassurance.

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II opens the Duchess of Devonshire Wing, our dedicated cancer centre

Around 700 consultants and 1,200 clinical and non-clinical staff work at The London Clinic including 100 clinical nurse specialists, dietitians, physiotherapists, councillors and occupational therapists.

They are the beating heart of The London Clinic. Many of them, from chefs to surgeons, are leaders in their fields and all of them are passionate about providing the very best care for our patients.

This passion is reflected in The London Clinic’s charitable status. As a charity we have more control over the reinvestment of our profits, allowing us to go further in pursuing our mission to provide the best outcomes for our patients. Our priorities are innovation and technology, training and education, and patient care. Investing in these three areas helps us to expand our medical knowledge and capabilities, make new or hard to access treatments available to patients and develop the strong teams and

partnerships that deliver the best in personalised healthcare.

WE ARE BESIDE OUR PATIENTS ON E ACH STEP OF THEIR TRE ATMENT JOURNE Y We understand that our patients’ experience with us is as important to their recovery as the expert medical treatment we provide. That’s why we have a dedicated International Team providing the following services to support our patients from their first contact with us, through treatment and once they return home.

Before treatment As a first step, we provide Patient Coordinators to help patients before their visit to The London Clinic. They arrange admission, discharge and other treatment appointments with the patient and their medical team. They also co-ordinate any pre-operative assessments and provide information and advice on self-isolation and testing requirements in relation to COVID-19.

We enhanced our already high safety standards in response to the pandemic and have met and often exceeded recommendations outlined by Public Health England.

To help with any worries around travelling to and staying in London, patients also have access to our free-of-charge Concierge Service. Our concierges help patients, and their families to arrange their trip, advising on and booking accommodation, transport and even theatre tickets, dinner reservations or a little pampering to make their stay more comfortable.

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On arrival Our team provides a warm welcome to patients arriving at The London Clinic.

Once the necessary paperwork is complete, patients are shown to their individual, en suite rooms. Each room is designed with comfort in mind and can be customised to personal needs throughout their stay.

Patients also benefit from our delicious, a la carte dining. Developed by our awardwining chefs and registered dietitians, our meals are freshly prepared to taste great as well as to provide all the nutrients needed to promote a good recovery. Our menus can all be adapted for allergies and nutritional, cultural and religious requirements.

The treatment journey We understand that travelling to a different country for a medical procedure can present challenges. Our Patient Advocates are available to guide patients through the hospital and their treatment

journey, helping to bridge any cultural barriers the patient may experience. All our Advocates are Arabic speakers and can help patients understand information about their treatment if English is not their first language. We can also arrange interpreters for other languages if needed.

Returning home Once our international patients return home, they continue to benefit from ‘Connect,’ our award-winning digital healthcare service, introduced to improve our patients’ access to healthcare. The platform allows patients to meet their healthcare professionals remotely and securely, from any convenient location.

They can attend appointments and therapy sessions and even link in family members or interpreters to support them.

WE A RE REN OWN ED F O R O U R PI O N EERI N G WO RK A N D M ED I C A L FI R ST S The London Clinic is committed to helping patients find the treatment or service that helps them to recover their health. We continually research and invest in new therapies and technologies to allow us to increase the treatment options we offer and provide us with the tools to take on more complex cases. As a result, we are experts in several medical specialities and have received awards and accolades recognising our high standards of patient safety and care.

1932 The Duchess of York accompanied by the Duke of York (later King George VI) opens The London Clinic

• Our purpose-built cancer centre, the Duchess of Devonshire Wing, is one of the most modern and technologically advanced cancer hospitals in the UK. It holds the 5 Star Macmillan Quality Environment Mark celebrating innovation and excellence in medicine and patient care.

• The London Clinic’s digestive health and general surgery department boasts the largest independent centre for gastrointestinal endoscopy in the UK and provides an extensive range of treatments and in-house diagnostics. In recognition of our exemplary standards of clinical quality and patient experience, the centre holds JAG accreditation from the Royal College of Physicians Joint Advisory Group on gastrointestinal endoscopy.

• Our musculoskeletal and pain management team assess, diagnose, and treat musculoskeletal conditions from bunions through to complex spinal surgery. The first private hospital in the UK to establish a robotic surgery group, our familiarity and expertise with these systems have made us an international leader in the field. Our Centre of Excellence has four robotic systems, with patients benefiting from this minimally invasive technique in joint replacement, spinal surgery and multiple other specialities across the hospital.

• Our world-leading team of aesthetic consultants make a difference to our patients’ lives through both cosmetic and reconstructive surgery. They have developed specific techniques that help to repair appearance and function

1989 HRH Prince Charles opens the physiotherapy department

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1991

The London Clinic is an early investor in radiology, radiotherapy and imaging

The MRI unit in the radiology department is opened by HRH Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon

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techniques that could benefit our patients.

We support their research, and through The London Clinic Research Centre, we join clinical trials that are shaping the future of medicine. In the last two years we have helped over 200 patients access novel therapies through enrolment in clinical trials in the fields of oncology, orthopaedics and gastroenterology.

post-cancer surgery and are skilled in managing complex cases such as facial reconstruction and correcting previous cosmetic procedures.

Investing in and exploring new fields of medicine has enabled us to bring several innovative technologies to The London Clinic patients for the first time: • We were the first UK private hospital to offer robotic surgery for prostate cancer patients in 2005 when we introduced the da Vinci robotic system.

• We have introduced artificial intelligence (AI) powered diagnostics with GI Genius™, an endoscopy system that detects the very earliest signs of colorectal cancer.

• We were the first private hospital to use Proximie augmented reality technology; connecting surgeons in different parts of our hospital, to enable one to instruct the other, remotely, in a robotic prostate cancer operation.

We seek out partnerships that can help us improve and increase the services we offer our patients and the wider healthcare community. In partnership with the Anthony Nolan Trust, British Bone Marrow Registry and DKMS, The London Clinic is the largest stem cell collection centre in Europe. Our laboratory analyses, processes and stores cells until needed by thousands of cancer patients worldwide.

WE ACH I E V E O U T STA N D I N G T RE ATM EN T O U TCOM ES F O R O U R PAT I EN T S These outcomes are made possible because we are committed to improving the health of our patients and have a passion for excellence that drives everyone and everything we do at The London Clinic.

We look to the future and invest our profits in new technologies and improving our facilities for our patients. We are working with health technology leader Advanced Oncotherapy to introduce its innovative proton beam therapy in the near future.

Work has already started on adapting premises in Harley Street into a dedicated, high-tech centre for urology, gynaecology and breast care. We have invested in world-leading diagnostics and our own extensive in-house laboratory services so that we are independent and can provide rapid results on tests and scans.

We work with our patients to develop treatment plans that address their physical and emotional needs, giving them the very best foundations to recover their health. The additional wellbeing services we offer include complementary therapies, counselling, physiotherapy, psychological support, and lifestyle and dietetic advice. We make everyone’s stay with us as comfortable as possible; our hospital is a calming environment, respectful of the dignity and the privacy of our patients and their families.

We listen to what is important to our patients, staff and partners. Our people are our most important critics, we use their feedback to personalise the care and services we provide. 98% of patients would recommend The London Clinic to their families and friends.

We invest in our expert medical team, encouraging them to innovate within their fields and explore new technologies and

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2017

Our life president, The Duchess of Devonshire, opens new consulting rooms at Devonshire Place

Our patron, HRH Duchess of Cornwall opens the new, 13bed Intensive Care Unit (ICU)

2010 Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II opens the new Duchess of Devonshire Wing dedicated to cancer care

2019 The London Clinic Centre for Robotics is launched, made up of world-leading surgeons, anaesthetists and a highly specialised nursing team

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WE ARE DOING THINGS TODAY, THAT HISTORY COULD ONLY DREAM ABOUT

INVESTING IN THE FUTURE OF HEALTHCARE The London Clinic, the UK’s largest independent charitable hospital, has been at the forefront of health technology since our inception in 1932.

In the intervening years we have had some notable firsts – trialling robotic surgery in the UK, introducing the advanced 3T MRI scanner, and launching cutting-edge services using artificial intelligence to improve cancer detection.

Call +44 (0)208 108 9629 or visit thelondonclinic.co.uk to find out how we use technology to improve patient outcomes.

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SU RG EO N S A N D SEM I - CO N D U C TO R S:

Robotic surgery at The London Clinic Prof Prokar Dasgupta is Consultant Urological Surgeon, The London Clinic, Professor of Robotic Surgery and Urological Innovation Guy’s Hospital, King’s College London, and Chairman of the King’s Institute of Robotic Surgery.

According to Prof Prokar Dasgupta the future looks bright for robotics at The London Clinic. ‘Robotics is a field of medicine that is exploding with opportunity. Reduced costs, increased connectivity and the advent of artificial intelligence are going to help make robotic surgery more accessible for different conditions, make us as surgeons more effective and ultimately improve outcomes for patients.’

The Chairman of the King’s Institute of Robotic Surgery and a recipient of the prestigious St Peter’s Medal, the highest award of the British Association of Urological Surgeon, Prof Dasgupta is a leader in the field of robotics and was instrumental in The London Clinic’s decision to invest in robotic systems. He describes this decision as typical of The London Clinic’s approach to making new and innovative treatments available for its patients. ‘They had seen the success I’d had and how we were transforming care in the National Health Service (NHS).

There was also huge public interest and patient demand for the new technology and The London Clinic was prepared to take the leap.’

There is no doubt in Prof Dasgupta’s mind that robotic surgery has multiple advantages for patients. ‘The advanced technology that guides the tiny instruments of the robot means we can make very small, precise incisions.

My own research has shown that for patients, this means they get to go home quicker and experience less pain, scarring, and fewer complications.’

He adds that there are also associated benefits for surgeons. ‘Movement and standing time are both reduced meaning that surgeons experience less fatigue.

The systems also generate huge amounts of data that we can interrogate and use to improve performance and train the next generation of robotic surgeons.’

now available across numerous specialities including orthopaedic, urological, cardiac, colorectal and head and neck surgeries.

‘It’s this commitment and investment in robotics that allows us surgeons to look to the future and investigate new and better ways of helping our patients,’ Prof Dasgupta adds.

The London Clinic was the first private hospital in the UK to introduce a robotic system for prostate surgery in 2005. Since then, its experience and expertise has grown considerably. In another first for a private hospital, it has recently established a centre of excellence, The London Clinic Centre for Robotic Surgery, and added a fourth robot to its existing suite of systems.

With the NAVIO®, da Vinci®, AquaBeam and ExcelsiusGPS®, minimally invasive surgery is

We have excellent anaesthetists, surgeons, surgical assistants, who I could not be without during surgery, and our specialist nurses who help our patients in recovery.

I truly believe it is this excellent teamwork that makes us a standout service and gets some of the best outcomes in the world for The London Clinic patients.’

Despite being somewhat of a celebrity in his field, Prof Dasgupta is keen to point out that successful robotic surgery is more than one man and a machine. ‘It’s all about the team and your approach,’ he says. ‘The London Clinic offers a very bespoke service, with a highly skilled multi-disciplinary team that supports and cares for each patient throughout their treatment journey.’

The London Clinic has four state of the art Robotic surgery systems. From left to right NAVIO®, da Vinci®, AquaBeam and ExcelsiusGPS®

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Case Study ‘I would wholeheartedly trust The London Clinic every time’

Amisha Thobani | The London Clinic patient

Amisha Thobani has had two brain tumours removed at The London Clinic and is being treated and monitored for a third.

She has a lot of affection for the hospital and her medical team, particularly Mr Peter Bullock Consultant Neurosurgeon at The London Clinic. They tell us about her experience and how The London Clinic became a home-away-from-home for her to focus on her health.

AMISHA Discovering I had a brain tumour was a huge shock to me and my family. I was recently married, happy and busy, with a successful career in the city. I had blamed my headaches and blurred vision on long hours spent at the computer studying and working and had taken my optician’s advice to wear glasses and have regular vision checks. It wasn’t until a new optician spotted something abnormal on my retina that I was referred to hospital, and then to a specialist ophthalmologist at The London Clinic.

Mr Peter Bullock | Consultant Neurosurgeon at The London Clinic

Everything happened very rapidly after that. The ophthalmologist sent me immediately downstairs for an MRI scan.

Two days later I was back in the hospital to meet Mr Peter Bullock who became my neurosurgeon and lifesaver.

MR. BULLOCK Amisha had a meningioma grade 1, the typical type of brain tumour we see in women of her age. But her case turned out to be anything but typical. As she was young and fit, we recommended surgery to remove the tumour. Brain surgery is always a major undertaking, and it is important to be very clear with patients about the risks as well as any alternatives.

However, nearly all people who have this surgery make a good recovery and are unlikely to need further treatment.

AMISHA The operation to remove my first tumour took nine hours. The scan had shown a tumour, about the size of a golf ball, wrapped around my optic nerve. I was told it had probably been there for five to

ten years, slowly damaging my vision as it grew. It was complex surgery, and I spent several days in The London Clinic’s ICU as part of my 15-day hospital stay.

Five years later, The London Clinic team found another tumour in a different area of my brain. It quickly doubled in size, and I had a second surgery to remove it. No one expected to find a third, but in 2015 a growth recurred at the site of my first tumour. This time Mr Bullock recommended stereotactic radiotherapy as a one-off treatment which would be more effective and carry less risk than another open operation.

MR. BULLOCK Amisha is right, atypical meningiomas grade 2 are more likely to recur than her original tumour. The London Clinic provides follow-up MRI scans and appointments for at least five years after surgery for even a grade 1 meningioma. It was through this careful monitoring that we discovered her second and later, third tumour. The discovery of the third tumour made Amisha’s case more challenging and we needed to find an alternative treatment option, such as stereotactic radiotherapy.

Successful neurosurgery is dependent on the latest technologies. The London Clinic can provide support for both the straightforward and the more complex surgical cases. Amisha has benefited from advancements in both science and the capabilities of The London Clinic over time. To treat her third tumour, we used CyberKnife.

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The Cyberknife at The London Clinic used to treat Amisha’s third tumour.

This precision technology uses X-ray imaging to focus narrow beams of radiation precisely to the tumour, minimising damage to surrounding healthy tissue. With it, we successfully shrank Amisha’s tumour. She has lived with it now for five years, it remains stable, and we will continue to monitor her health.

Recovery from brain surgery takes time, not just physically but emotionally and mentally. I struggled with brain fatigue, a hidden illness experienced by people who’ve had damage or injury to the brain, that can last for years. I couldn’t have coped without the support of my family who were amazing throughout. Especially when just over a year after my first tumour was removed, I gave birth to twins!

AMISHA

It has been 15 years now since my first tumour was discovered and with each one, I have felt the same despair and helplessness. It has been difficult at times juggling my own emotions and the concerns and worries of my family.

Thankfully, The London Clinic has been with me every step of the way.

Everyone there is so welcoming and supportive, from the cleaning staff to the medical team. Each time I received treatment even the smallest details were taken care of, helping to make my stay comfortable so that I could focus on myself and my health. There is a huge level of reassurance and peace of mind when you know you can put your trust in people to care for you like that. It became like a home away from home.

I owe a debt of gratitude to Mr Bullock. He is a brilliant surgeon and a wonderfully kind person who has always been respectful and reassuring to me and my family.

He was highly regarded by my father, a GP himself, who attended nearly all my appointments with me. My surgeries have given me a second chance at life; allowing me to be a wife, a daughter, a sister, and a mother, and demonstrating that you can overcome adversity and trauma by being positive and having faith.

MR. BULLOCK I am so grateful to Amisha and her family for their strength of character and it is a delight to see her beautiful twins enjoying a full family life.

To find out more about The London Clinic and our world-class healthcare, please visit our website thelondonclinic.co.uk or contact: E Internationaloffice@thelondonclinic.co.uk T +44 (0)20 8108 9699 M +44 (0) 7864 609 017 (for calls or messages on WhatsApp, WeChat, Viber or IMO)

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CHOOSING LONDON FOR HEALTHCARE

BRINGING A NEW MODEL OF PRIVATE CARE TO LONDON Cleveland Clinic’s new facilities in London are its first in Europe, adding another international location to an integrated global health system

Cleveland Clinic is a leading provider of specialised medical care, internationally recognised for its doctor-led, patientcentred model and high-quality medical care. Voted amongst the top hospitals in the world by Newsweek, Cleveland Clinic opened its first outpatient centre at 24 Portland Place in the Harley Street Medical Area in September, and the new 184-bed hospital in central London follows in early 2022.

These are Cleveland Clinic’s first facilities in Europe, adding another international location to an integrated global health system with over 70,000 employees working across 19 hospitals and over 220 outpatient facilities in Ohio, Florida and Nevada in the United States, Toronto and Abu Dhabi.

Cleveland Clinic takes on the most complex patient care, delivered by collaborative, multidisciplinary teams

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and supported by the latest research, medical education and technological advancements. Cleveland Clinic’s doctorled model of care puts the patient at the centre to deliver the highest quality of care, focused on clinical excellence, safety and patient outcomes.

The six-floor Cleveland Clinic Portland Place Outpatient Centre is equipped with the latest technology to enhance quality, safety and experience of care, and offers a variety of services, including GP and Executive Health appointments, diagnostics and outpatient consultations across the following areas: • • • •

Heart, vascular and thoracic Digestive disease Neurosciences Orthopaedics, plastic surgery and rheumatology • Ear, nose and throat • Urology

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Cleveland Clinic London Hospital is at the cutting-edge of hospital design.

It will offer 184 inpatient beds in an exceptional environment, designed to enhance the patient experience at every step. Facilities include eight operating rooms, a full imaging suite, endoscopy and catheterisation labs, day-case rooms for surgery, and a full neurological suite with rehabilitation.

The hospital will offer a full range of medical services, including specialty services focusing on heart, vascular and thoracic, orthopaedics, digestive diseases, neurosciences and general surgery.

Cleveland Clinic London Hospital will be the first private provider in the UK to fully use electronic patient records, and the first hospital in the country to use

pharmacy barcoding and closed loop medication administration to ensure that quality, safety and patient experience are exceptional.

Dr Brian Donley, CEO, Cleveland Clinic London, comments: “Our 100-year history provides a foundation of research and education, and as we look to the future we continue our focus on adopting leading technology and driving innovation.

Cleveland Clinic London Hospital and our Portland Place Outpatient Centre are world-leading facilities equipped with the latest technology to enhance quality, safety and patient experience.

By working with leading UK doctors and clinical experts, we are looking to combine the best of UK healthcare with the best of Cleveland Clinic.”

Dr Brian Donley CEO, Cleveland Clinic London

1 Cleveland Clinic opened its first outpatient centre at 24 Portland Place in the Harley Street Medical Area in September 2021 (PHOTO: CLEVELAND CLINIC)

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Schoen Clinic Orthopaedic and Spinal Hospital London

Clinical excellence in the treatment of orthopaedic and spinal conditions.

Schoen Clinic’s state-of-the-art central London hospital has been designed with patients in mind. From the moment you arrive, you will feel confident in the outstanding care and service you will receive.

Schoen Clinic London benefits from a team of internationally renowned surgeons who collaborate with a wider network of clinical staff to design and deliver your bespoke treatment plan. This Multidisciplinary Team (MDT) approach to every patient ensures a highly personalised service, improving both your overall experience and your clinical outcome. So, whether you are looking to return to activity or reduce pain, our team of physios, nurses, doctors and Consultants will ensure you receive the best treatment for your particular health problem.

“We have established an extremely cohesive team, formed of world-class experts including physiotherapists, operating theatre staff, nursing colleagues and our aftercare team who aid patient recovery. We also have 24/7 Consultant Intensivist cover on site, meaning in the unlikely event of a patient becoming unwell after a procedure, we have the highest level of medical assistance available,” says Dr Tim Wigmore, Medical Director.

This excellence in highly specialised care allows surgeons to focus on best practice. Expert care from our entire team means that patients recover from surgery very quickly, most walking the same day and returning to the activities they enjoy faster than expected.

If you are an overseas patient and wish to discuss your treatment at Schoen Clinic London, please contact: Siham Awadalla International Liaison Manager Email: sawadalla@schoen-clinic.co.uk Phone/WhatsApp: 07729 119404

Award-winning specialist hospital in the heart of London’s exclusive medical district.

“I have great pleasure in looking after our international patients and ensuring their treatment with us is as easy, efficient and straightforward as possible” says Siham.

“I can answer questions about treatment, local hotels, travel arrangements or anything else. I am here to help”

Schoen Clinic London is open all year round and ready to welcome you to a truly world-class private healthcare experience.

Call us: +44 (0)20 3929 1086 Visit our website: www.schoen-clinic.co.uk/london Email us: lon-enquiries@schoen-clinic.co.uk Address: 66 Wigmore Street, London, W1U 2SB

CHOOSING LONDON FOR HEALTHCARE

LEADING THE WAY IN LONG COVID CARE Post Covid-19 Inpatient Rehabilitation Programme

Throughout the coronavirus pandemic, our knowledge of the virus has steadily grown, with increased understanding of how to contain the virus and the best approach for treating patients.

by multidisciplinary teams, with leading specialists collaborating to design bespoke treatment plans tailored to the symptoms and needs of each individual patient.

Long Covid Clinic One aspect of the virus about which we are continuing to discover more every day is the condition known as ‘Long Covid’ – a term encompassing the multifaceted range of symptoms that can persist for weeks, or even months, beyond the initial illness. With data by the Office for National Statistics estimating that one in 10 people infected with Covid-19 experience symptoms that last for three months or longer, this is clearly a significant problem impacting many people globally.

At Cromwell Hospital, we have introduced new, expert-led inpatient and outpatient services to support patients with Long Covid to recover and return to their optimum health.

Our Long Covid services are delivered

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The Long Covid Clinic is led by a team of world-leading consultants specialising in treating respiratory conditions. At the clinic, tailored treatment plans are prescribed to address the varied symptoms of Long Covid. These include respiratory issues, fatigue and joint or muscle pain, as well as any mental health symptoms, such as anxiety.

After an initial consultation, a personalised set of tests will be devised and, from this, a tailored treatment plan will be created. If required, the treatment plan will incorporate onward referrals to other key specialists, including cardiologists, neurologists, specialist respiratory physiotherapists, as well as sleep experts and psychiatrists.

Dr Brian O’Connor, Consultant in Respiratory Medicine and the lead for the Long Covid Clinic and Post Covid-19 Rehabilitation Programme adds: “We know people are experiencing ongoing symptoms of Covid-19, from struggling with memory or concentration levels to suffering breathlessness during everyday activities. Our new clinic helps people access the right support for their individual needs.”

The Post Covid-19 Inpatient Rehabilitation Programme has been set-up for patients experiencing ongoing, severe symptoms of Long Covid, who may have already been treated in hospital for Covid-19. In these instances, an inpatient stay in hospital may be recommended to support the patient in making a full recovery.

Following an initial clinical assessment, a personalised treatment plan is designed.

This will be unique to the patient and

with a recommended duration– usually a seven to fourteen night stay in hospital.

The rehabilitation programme provides a range of different treatments to support the patient on their path to recovery.

These may include a combination of daily physiotherapy, speech and language therapy, dietetic sessions and consultations with consultant physicians, including psychiatrists, respiratory specialists, cardiologists and pain specialists.

“There’s a clear need for more support when it comes to Long Covid. Patients are reporting varying symptoms which are preventing them from returning to work and continuing with their daily routines before they contracted the virus,” says Philip Luce, CEO at the Cromwell Hospital.

“I’m delighted that we’ve opened this clinic to support and provide personalised treatment plans for patients struggling with the long-term impact of Covid-19.”

To find out more about Long Covid care at Cromwell Hospital visit: www.cromwellhospital.com/ postcovid19care

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WORLD-LEADING CANCER TREATMENT AND CARE The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, ranked among the world's leading centres for cancer research, and pioneering treatment and care for international patients, has opened a new private care facility on Cavendish Square

Rated ‘outstanding’ by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), The Royal Marsden is located in Chelsea and Sutton. It has recently expanded its private care presence to Cavendish Square, in the heart of the capital’s world-renowned healthcare district. The Royal Marsden is a centre of excellence with an international reputation for ground-breaking research and pioneering the very latest in cancer treatments and technologies.

hotel-style service, single en-suite rooms and direct access to their treating consultant. A specialist International Advocate Service ensures that all the needs of overseas patients are met, both from a cultural perspective and in terms of treatment and care. They work closely with a multinational team of interpreters, including a dedicated Arabic Advocate Service, which can offer one-to-one translations.

Together with its academic partner, The Institute of Cancer Research, The Royal Marsden is one of Europe's leading cancer centres, with unrivalled cancer expertise and over 2,500 specialists who cover the rarest and most complex cases.

Surgical teams at The Royal Marsden are innovators in their field, and the hospital’s radiotherapy department is one of the largest in the UK, delivering more than 75,000 treatments every year.

Royal patronage

The Royal Marsden Private Care offers an award-winning service, having won the LaingBuisson Best Hospital Award in 2020 for the third time. Private patients are offered additional benefits, including

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Her Majesty the Queen is the Patron of The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, and HRH the Duke of Cambridge has been President for 14 years, regularly visiting the hospital to meet with staff and patients. Last year, he showed his support for staff through video calls and letters to pay tribute to and thank the teams for all their hard work during the Covid-19 pandemic. He also attended a special event to mark the start of building work on The Royal Marsden’s Oak Cancer Centre, in Sutton, a state-of-the-art research and treatment facility being funded by The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity.

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Leading-edge research changing standards of care The Royal Marsden has an international research reputation, with experts revolutionising the way cancer treatment and care is provided, to help extend and improve the lives of patients in the UK and across the world. The Trust has continued to run its portfolio of 800 clinical trials open at any one time, despite the pressures of Covid-19.

Experts regularly present at international conferences and are representatives on committees such as The European and American Societies of Clinical Oncology.

Professor James Larkin is a Consultant Medical Oncologist at The Royal Marsden and lead investigator of a number of translational studies into melanoma and kidney cancer. His research has been key in the field of immunotherapy and targeted therapies, heralding new hope for patients, with survival rates hitting an all-time high.

Professor Larkin says: “Immunotherapies like nivolumab and ipilimumab have completely changed our survival expectations for patients with difficult-

to-treat cancers. In the past, melanoma and kidney cancer were regarded as untreatable once they had spread. Thanks to pioneering research and clinical trials undertaken at cancer centres across the world, including The Royal Marsden, drugs have been developed that will help to control the disease in many people, and probably lead to cure in a proportion of patients.”

A ‘liquid biopsy’ test developed at The Royal Marsden and The Institute of Cancer Research, London, was found to detect the return of the disease nearly 11 months earlier than hospital scans. The research found the personalised blood test worked in all types of breast cancer and could detect the early spread of the disease.

The Royal Marsden researchers also launched multiple studies at speed during the pandemic to investigate and mitigate the impact of Covid-19 on cancer treatment and care. This includes exploring the use of new artificial intelligence (AI) technology to provide clinicians with vital

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1 Farzana and team in the MDU at Cavendish Square | 2 Professor James Larkin, Consultant Medical Oncologist (PHOTOS: THE ROYAL MARSDEN)

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information that will help improve the lives of people with cancer.

A multidisciplinary team like no other

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Personalised care is at the heart of The Royal Marsden’s approach, and its unique multidisciplinary team model ensures that cancer patients receive the highest standards of care. Up to 35 specialists including surgeons, medical oncologists, radiotherapists, pathologists, nurses, radiologists and allied health professionals attend weekly multidisciplinary team meetings (MDTs) to develop personalised treatment plans for each patient.

The importance of early diagnosis

3 The Royal Marsden was the first hospital in the world dedicated to the study and treatment of cancer | 4 Dr Richard Lee, Consultant Respiratory Physician | 5 Cavendish Square offers patients modern and comfortable surroundings | 6 Professor Chris Nutting, Consultant Clinical Oncologist and Clinical Director of The Royal Marsden Private Care at Cavendish Square (PHOTOS: THE ROYAL MARSDEN)

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The Royal Marsden is continually working to improve early diagnosis for patients to help save more lives – from carrying out pioneering genetic sequencing to identifying mutations that mean an individual has a higher risk of developing cancer, through to regular screenings of those with a genetic predisposition to certain cancers. Diagnosis at The Royal Marsden is carried out through the Rapid Diagnostic and Assessment Service, designed for patients with suspected breast, skin and urological cancers.

Dr Richard Lee, Consultant Respiratory Physician and Champion for Early Diagnosis at The Royal Marsden, is working with colleagues Professor Ros Eeles and Professor Stanley Kaye to create an Early Diagnosis and Detection Centre,

which aims to accelerate early diagnosis and improve outcomes for patients. He is also Joint National Clinical Lead for the NHS England Targeted Lung Health Checks Programme, which aims to find and treat lung cancer at an earlier stage.

Dr Lee says: “Discovering cancers earlier is the key to treating patients successfully, avoiding invasive procedures and having fewer long-term side effects. Focusing on novel liquid biopsy technologies, AI and imaging, is helping us detect cancers faster and give a more accurate diagnosis.

Advanced risk stratification science using genetics and ‘big data’ approaches is being used to identify high-risk groups who will benefit most from early diagnosis, ultimately helping us to save lives.”

The Royal Marsden Private Care’s new facility at Cavendish Square is part of the Trust’s broader strategy to diagnose cancer faster and earlier. Home to a state-of-the-art diagnostic imaging suite offering MRI, CT, X-Ray, ultrasound and mammography, experts are able to identify and diagnose cancers earlier across all the main tumour types.

Cavendish Square offers patients a onestop diagnostic service where patients can expect to have an appointment booked following their initial enquiry, direct access to diagnostic services, and same-day scans and test results. An onsite pathology department can conduct blood tests with rapid turnaround times to

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speed up diagnosis and support experts in delivering personalised treatment to patients at the earliest opportunity.

Professor Chris Nutting, Consultant Clinical Oncologist and Clinical Director of The Royal Marsden Private Care, Cavendish Square says: “The Royal Marsden sees and treats 60,000 NHS and private patients every year. Cavendish Square is an exciting new development that will allow our multidisciplinary teams to offer world-class standards of cancer care to even more patients, diagnosing cancers faster with a targeted and personalised approach.”

Cavendish Square – research-led cancer care in central London Bringing The Royal Marsden’s personalised care to central London, Cavendish Square offers private patients outstanding facilities, world-class expertise and a rapid diagnostic service. Housed within an Edwardian listed building, this research-led, diagnostic, outpatient and treatment facility is part of The Royal Marsden’s Private Care service provision.

Patients have fast and direct access to world-leading diagnostic and research active consultants who will personally oversee every aspect of their treatment plan. Experts at Cavendish Square specialise in a full range of cancer services across all the main tumour groups, with other clinical specialties offered including genetics, plastic surgery and reconstruction and pain management.

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The centre is also home to a minor procedure suite and a medical day unit with bespoke treatment bays, which will provide the highest level of patientfocused care for UK and overseas patients who are receiving some of the most advanced cancer treatments.

Shams Maladwala, Managing Director of The Royal Marsden Private Care says: “Thanks to our integrated model, patients seeking the very best private cancer treatment can do so safe in the knowledge that it is backed by the strictest safety standards and governance usually only seen in the NHS. Further investment in the Trust’s NHS services from Private Care revenue provides the best of both worlds for both patients and clinicians, supporting The Royal Marsden in continuing to be worldwide leaders in the field of cancer diagnosis, treatment, care, research and education.”

Clare Kalis, 65, was one of the first patients to be seen at Cavendish Square.

She has been under the care of Professor Chris Nutting and the Head and Neck team since 2015, after she found a lump in her neck. “Check-ups are always an anxious time, but walking into Cavendish Square was reassuring and calming – I immediately felt more at ease,” says Clare. “It is a beautiful facility in a great location, which doesn’t feel like a cancer centre at all. It is a pleasure to be under the care of Professor Nutting, as he is such a specialist in his field, and I feel very privileged to be one of his patients.”

“Walking into Cavendish Square was reassuring and calming – I immediately felt more at ease” Clare Kalis, one of the first patients to be seen at Cavendish Square

Further information For more information about The Royal Marsden Private Care or to refer a patient, please: Visit: www.royalmarsden.nhs.uk/ private-care Email: int@rmh.nhs.uk Call: +44 (0)20 7808 2063

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Consultant Oncoplastic Breast Surgeon Jennifer Rusby talks about patient care at the newly opened Royal Marsden Private Care at Cavendish Square and the centre’s commitment to excellence

CHAMPIONING A HOLISTIC APPROACH TO BREAST CANCER CARE What is your medical specialty and on what areas are you focused?

As a breast surgeon, I am involved in the whole process of diagnosing and treating women with breast problems.

This means I am a part of every aspect of the patient journey, from initial consultation, to tests leading to a diagnosis, and then working in a multidisciplinary team to coordinate treatment.

1 Consultant Oncoplastic Breast Surgeon Jennifer Rusby (PHOTO: THE ROYAL MARSDEN)

After training in general surgery, I specialised in oncoplastic surgery, which involves combining cancer removal with techniques in plastic surgery to minimise the impact of surgery on quality of life.

What sort of services do you provide at Cavendish Square, and what makes it such an outstanding treatment centre?

The Royal Marsden first opened its doors at Cavendish Square in April 2021, and the breast unit is set up as a one-stop clinic.

This means that women with a breast concern can have a clinical examination and the necessary tests in the same visit (mammography, ultrasound, CT and X-ray). The majority will have changes that occur as part of normal life, or benign problems that do not require treatment. However, should they be diagnosed with breast cancer, patients

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can access most of their treatment in one place, as the clinic has a minor procedure suite, and a medical day unit for patients to receive chemotherapy.

The breast unit is run very much in the same way as The Royal Marsden’s Chelsea site and shares its expertise and culture of treating each patient as an individual.

The emphasis is on approaching patients in a holistic way and providing a positive and personalised experience with all the comfort of first-class private care.

We have an excellent multidisciplinary team, so every patient gets the input of experts in all the areas relevant to them, and this also ensures a seamless transition from one element of treatment to the next. So far, the breast care unit has scored incredibly well in patient satisfaction surveys, and I believe this is due to a combination of the state-of-theart care on offer and the compassion and dedication of the nurses. Although this is predominantly a cancer hospital, it is not a place for doom and gloom.

In fact, patients often describe feeling ‘safe’ here, and there is an optimistic and upbeat feel to the place.

Aside from the outstanding treatment, another advantage of being a patient at Cavendish Square is that you not only benefit from the research focus of The Royal Marsden, but also from its cutting-edge clinical trials. If there is a trial available, we will invite the patient to

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participate in that, allowing them to access the most up-to-date treatments, which is not only good for them personally, but helps us build knowledge that will be beneficial for future patients.

Cavendish Square is very much a research-led cancer centre. Can you describe some of the research projects you are involved with?

One of my key passions as a breast cancer specialist is improving cosmetic outcomes for my patients. Of course, as a clinician, disease control is always my absolute priority, but the psychological recovery of the patient is important too, and maintaining or improving the cosmetic outcome is key to this, because it has a significant impact on a woman’s confidence, and helps her to get back to a near normal life.

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Over the past seven years, I have been working on research to develop 3D surface imaging of women’s breasts, using either infrared scanners or multiple, simultaneous cameras producing images to be ‘knitted’ together.

One of our recent research studies revealed that women are much more confident going into a lumpectomy operation if they have seen a simulation of how they might look after surgery, rather than being guided by photographs of other women who have had a similar operation.

We are now developing these techniques into the reconstructive arena and,

2-5 At The Royal Marsden's Cavendish Square site, women can have a clinical examination and the necessary tests during the same visit (PHOTOS: THE ROYAL MARSDEN)

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ideally, we will be able to show women simulations of different reconstruction techniques to help them decide whether they want reconstructive surgery after mastectomy and, if so, what type.

My other main research interest is in breast cancer prevention. There are some risk factors for breast cancer that we can control, such as weight, alcohol intake and limited physical activity. I am leading a pilot study that empowers women to change their lifestyle, not only by informing them of their own future breast cancer risk, but also by supporting them to identify a relevant health goal they might want to reach. Over time, we hope to scale this up to a much larger study that can make a real difference to women’s lives.

Finally, what does the future look like for breast cancer patients in terms of their treatment and overall outcomes?

Going through breast cancer treatment is undoubtedly a challenging process, but I am optimistic about the huge advances being made in diminishing the side effects of treatment. Lots of breast cancers are now diagnosed on imaging before a lump can be felt in the breast. New techniques enabling us to pinpoint the location of tumours at the time of surgery mean we

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can be more precise, removing the area of abnormality while preserving normal breast tissue. This minimises the change in shape resulting from surgery to the breast.

In the future, some women will be able to avoid surgery altogether because the drugs being used are now more tailored and effective at eradicating disease.

One of our areas of focus at The Royal Marsden is identifying women who don't need surgery at all. Over the past quarter of a century, there has been a marked decrease in invasive surgery for breast cancer patients, thanks to improvements in imaging techniques and medical oncology. So, 20 or 30 years ago, most women were having radical mastectomies and their armpit lymph nodes were removed to protect them against the disease, but today less surgery is just as safe in many situations.

There are ongoing parallel developments in diagnostic, surgical and radiotherapy techniques that, together, make for a far better outlook and experience than in the past. Overall, I am very positive, because most patients with breast cancer can expect to be cured.

That’s a wonderful message that hasn’t been widely heard yet.

“I am optimistic about the huge advances being made in diminishing the side effects of treatment” Further information For more information about The Royal Marsden Private Care or to refer a patient, please: Visit: www.royalmarsden.nhs.uk/ private-care Email: int@rmh.nhs.uk Call: +44 (0)20 7808 2063

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WORLD-CLASS CANCER CARE At Cromwell Hospital, we understand that getting rapid access to quality cancer care has never been so important.

With current statistics reporting that one in two people will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime, it is an illness that will touch nearly every family personally.

However, with an early diagnosis and fast access to a tailored treatment plan, there is a very good chance of beating cancer.

As we know that time to treatment heavily influences patient outcomes, we’ve set up rapid access patient pathways at the hospital, enabling patients to see a consultant, undergo the necessary tests and receive a diagnosis in the shortest possible timeframe.

For many of our patients, we are able to offer same or next-day appointments with expert consultants, while tests – such as MRI scans and mammograms – can be carried out on the same day as part of that consultation, with all diagnostics taking place under the same roof.

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These are our rapid access diagnostic pathways for certain cancer types:

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Bowel care diagnostic pathway Prostate care diagnostic pathway Breast care diagnostic pathway Gynaecology rapid access pathway

A seamless journey to exceptional cancer care If a cancer diagnosis is made, patients can be reassured they are in safe hands.

As an internationally recognised centre of excellence in cancer care, we at Cromwell Hospital are proud to host a world-class team of cancer specialists. This includes surgeons, oncologists, clinical nurse specialists, radiologists and specially trained counsellors and physiotherapists.

Forming a multidisciplinary team, members from each of these clinical disciplines meet regularly to discuss patient cases. As part of these meetings, they review test results and work together to jointly devise a tailored

treatment plan that best meets a patient’s personal and clinical needs. Evidence shows that this collaborative working contributes to better patient outcomes and an improved patient experience.

Our rapid access cancer pathways also enable us to offer a fast, seamless route through from diagnosis to treatment. We offer the latest in cancer treatments, including genetic testing, minimally invasive and robotic surgery, chemotherapy, and world-leading radiotherapy at the GenesisCare Centre for Radiotherapy at Cromwell Hospital.

“I felt like I was in safe hands with my healthcare team throughout, and the fact that the service was so streamlined also helped to make what was a very stressful time a lot easier,” says Jennifer, a breast cancer patient at Cromwell Hospital. “I was able to have all my scans and tests on the same day, and was even able to have my mastectomy and reconstruction carried out as part of the same operation.”

Any questions about our cancer services or treatment? Call us on +44 207 460 5700 to enquire about our rapid pathways, or visit cromwellhospital.com

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CUTTING-EDGE TREATMENT FOR PROSTATE CANCER Getting a prostate cancer diagnosis can be a frightening experience, but minimally invasive treatments such as NanoKnife offer hope of rapid recovery and continued quality of life

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More than 130 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer every day in the UK. There has been a sharp increase in incidence since the 1990s, and it is now the number-one form of cancer affecting men in the UK. Diagnosis with any cancer can be frightening, but, for many men, being told they have prostate cancer can also spark additional worries about their continence and sexual health.

Professor of Interventional Oncology at UCL and Consultant Urologist at the world-renowned King Edward VII’s Hospital in London. This is because, unlike more conventional forms of prostate cancer treatment, such as surgery and aggressive radiotherapy, NanoKnife targets only the cancerous cells, leaving the surrounding tissue and organ function unharmed.

The good news is that, as well as being one of the most common forms of cancer, prostate cancer is also one of the most treatable. Survival rates have trebled over the past 40 years, and new and minimally invasive treatments, such as focal irreversible electroporation, more commonly known as NanoKnife, have not only demonstrated excellent efficacy, but have also been shown to substantially reduce the risk of incontinence and loss of sexual function.

Precise treatment

“The risk of incontinence is not quite zero, but it is very, very rare – close to zero - with NanoKnife, and 90-95% of men undergoing the procedure will maintain sexual function,” says Mark Emberton OBE,

Professor Emberton has pioneered the use of NanoKnife in the treatment of prostate cancer over the past decade, and is currently the only consultant able to perform the therapy in the UK.

Treatment takes place under general anaesthetic, but, despite the name, there are no knives or incisions involved.

Instead, needles are inserted through the skin and guided to the precise location of the tumour using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanning.

The NanoKnife machine then delivers high-voltage electrical pulses around the cancer, which effectively force the cells to self-destruct.

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“The procedure is carried out in exactly the same way as a prostate biopsy and is painless,” he says. “The whole thing takes around 30 minutes, so treatment can be carried out as a day-case procedure – patients come in in the morning and go home in the afternoon.”

The treatment does cause some temporary swelling of the prostate, which means patients will typically need a catheter for two or three days postprocedure. However, patients are fully recovered within a matter of days.

“Compared to surgery and radiotherapy, the advantages are significant,” says Professor Emberton. “There is maintenance of sexual function and avoidance of incontinence, but also rapid recovery.

These guys are up and walking in a couple of hours, whereas with surgery they would have to take weeks off, while radiotherapy is delivered over many weeks or months.”

evidence to support its use in the treatment of localised prostate cancers.

More than 2,000 patient outcomes have been reported internationally and, in 85% of cases, patients are free from disease progression at five years.

Currently in the UK, NanoKnife for the treatment of prostate cancer is only offered at King Edward VII’s Hospital. However, there is a growing body of international

According to Professor Emberton, around 20% of all men presenting with localised prostate cancer could benefit from the technique, and it is particularly useful in

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1 Professor Mark Emberton performs the Nanoknife technique | 2 King Edward VII's Hospital in Beaumont Street, Marylebone (PHOTOS: KING EDWARD VII'S HOSPITAL)

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and has to be repeated, or that it fails more than once, in which case more invasive treatment may be necessary.

Despite demonstrating superior outcomes in the preservation of sexual function, Professor Emberton says men considering the treatment should also think carefully about whether they wish to preserve their fertility. “Although most men will be able to ejaculate, semen volume can be reduced because it is made in the prostate,” says Professor Emberton. “I never make any guarantees about fertility and would always advise men who care about fertility to save sperm before they have their treatment.”

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“Treatment can be carried out as a day-case procedure – patients come in in the morning and go home in the afternoon”

the treatment of those anterior tumours that would previously have been considered hard to treat with minimally invasive procedures.

Assessing suitability However, like all cancer treatments, NanoKnife is no panacea and may not be suitable for all patients, says Professor Emberton. In some cases, the position of the tumour means that other forms of focal therapy, such as cryotherapy or high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) are more appropriate.

Despite the strong safety record for NanoKnife, there is risk involved in all forms of cancer treatment. Professor Emberton has used the technique on over 300 patients over the last decade and has not experienced any adverse incidents. However, he says patients should always consider all of the risks involved in any procedure.

“NanoKnife is very safe and there are no long-term risks, but, as with all prostate cancer treatment, the surrounding structures could be damaged,” he explains.

“There is a very small risk of incontinence and damage to sexual function, and there is a risk of damage to the rectum.

That is a risk in all prostate cancer procedures because of proximity, but usually NanoKnife is very well tolerated.”

3 Prostate cancer patients receive support and guidance from the dedicated team at King Edward VII's Hospital throughout their treatment (PHOTOS: KING EDWARD VII'S HOSPITAL)

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In common with other forms of prostate cancer treatment, there is also a risk that the procedure could fail

Men who have been treated using NanoKnife will also require ongoing surveillance with MRI scans and prostatespecific antigen (PSA) testing. However, if there is recurrence of the cancer, the treatment can be repeated, and it is suitable for use across age groups. “I have used it in men in their nineties, and in the older man it works very well because they are in and out in a day and don’t suffer the consequences of hormones and radiotherapy,” says Professor Emberton.

It may not be suitable for everyone, but NanoKnife is considered to be one of the most promising treatments for localised prostate cancer and, in future, Professor Emberton hopes its use will become much more widespread. “The technique is widely used by interventional radiologists for treating pancreas and other cancers, so it is just about widening the indications and applying it to prostate cancer,” he says.

“Large programmes for its use in prostate cancer are now under way in Australia, the US and Germany, so this is happening.

And I would like to see it disseminate so that more men benefit as a result.”

If you are concerned about your prostate health, or you have received a diagnosis for prostate cancer and are considering private treatment, call a member of the dedicated patient services team at King Edward VII’s Hospital to discuss your options: +44 (0)20 7467 4344, Mon-Fri 9am-5pm www.kingedwardvii.co.uk

ONCOLOGY

PIONEERING ROBOTIC SURGERY TECHNIQUES Charles Evans, one of a specialist team of colorectal surgeons at King Edward VII’s Hospital, explains how sophisticated robotic equipment is leading to less-invasive surgery and improved survival rates

Firstly, what are the advantages of using robots for colorectal surgery?

At King Edward VII’s Hospital, we use the DaVinci Xi robot – the very latest robotic surgical system approved for colorectal surgery. The benefit of this robot is that it expands surgeons’ capabilities of performing minimally invasive surgery in even the most complex of cases.

The system provides enhanced surgeon vision combined with control of articulating instruments to perform intricate movements within a combined space. Specifically the Xi robot has novel overhead architecture with slimmer robotic arms that come out from a boom, with increased instrument reach and integrated technology to address some of the limitations from earlier models.

Its versatility enables a wide range of colorectal procedures to be performed, from complex surgery across the entire abdomen to meticulous dissection within the pelvis As a result, our patients are given precision, minimally invasive surgery that leads to faster recovery times and reduces the risk of complications in the post-operative period.

What sort of conditions can be treated using this kind of robotic surgery, and what impact does it have on patient outcomes?

We can perform any sort of colorectal operation in the abdomen or in the pelvis robotically, but we predominantly see the technology used for treating bowel cancer (cancer of the colon and rectum).

We also use the DaVinci Xi robot to treat

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surgery. Collectively, our team have performed over 500 robotic colorectal cases, with two national trainers in robotic colorectal surgery. We believe that it is a team approach to surgery that delivers the best results. We work closely with medical cancer and radiology experts and have an outstanding team of colorectal nurses supporting our patients along their journey.

We like to operate with two consultants present to ensure there are two pairs of experienced minds focused on the surgery and facilitating a smooth flow of the operation at all times. This spirit of collaboration continues post-operatively too. After having their surgery, our patients are checked each day by one of our consultant surgeons, so they can be assured that they are receiving outstanding clinical care. Our multidisciplinary approach means that we take collective responsibility for each patient, providing them with the best possible outcomes.

How do you interact with patients before and after their stay in hospital?

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“The robot enhances our capabilities of performing the surgery with minimal invasion”

1 Mr Charles Evans, colorectal surgeon at King Edward VII's Hospital | 2 The hospital's colorectal surgery team have performed over 500 robotic colorectal cases (PHOTOS: KING EDWARD VII'S HOSPITAL)

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patients with diverticula disease, and inflammatory bowel diseases (such as ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease). We are also increasingly using the robot to repair abdominal wall hernias, ranging from those within the groin (inguinal and femoral) to those around stomas and complex abdominal wall defects for hernia repairs.

The robot enhances our capabilities of performing the surgery with minimal invasion, which is known to improve patient recovery, reduce length of stay within the hospital and reduce post-operative complication rates. However, in my experience, this robot has also impacted on cancer outcomes with improved quality of cancer specimens removed, which leads to potentially better long-term cancer survival and outcomes. Within my department, to date, we have had no local recurrences following rectal cancer surgery when performed with the Da Vinci Xi robot.

King Edward VII’s Hospital seems to be unique by offering patients a team of colorectal experts.

What is the benefit of this?

King Edward VII’s Hospital’s colorectal robotics service is the UK’s premier clinic for robotic colorectal and general

At the King Edward VII’s Hospital, we offer clinics and virtual consultations to patients before surgery. All patients meet a colorectal nurse specialist before their operations, who is always there to support them through their surgical journey before and after the operation. All patients also receive a digital health app called My Recovery App. The app can be accessed at any stage in the patient’s treatment journey, so they will receive information on what will happen in the operating theatre and how they can prepare for surgery. They can also use the app to answer questions about their diet and any symptoms, and what they should be able to do at various stages of their recovery.

As clinicians, the information we receive through this app is valuable, as it provides us with crucial data, monitoring our patients outcomes objectively. Overall, it’s a brilliant way of tracking our patients, and ensuring that they feel cared for and supported long after they have left hospital. I think it’s important to stress, however, that if patients would rather speak to us, we are very much open to that too. Our nurse practitioners are wonderful at putting patients at ease and discussing their symptoms, and everyone on the team is happy to do

ONCOLOGY

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the same, either over the phone or face to face. Of course, we can’t be with the patients all day, every day, but with the app, and links we have in place, our patients feel they are getting a well-rounded service. The feedback we're getting on patient care and communication is certainly very positive.

As well as robotic surgery, what other areas of expertise do you have in your role as a colorectal surgeon?

I am also an expert in general and colorectal surgery, as are the other surgeons in my team. We all have extensive expertise in managing hernia conditions of the abdomen and groin, including inguinal hernias, umbilical hernias and incisional hernias post previous surgery. Furthermore, we specialise in endoscopy services, including colonoscopy and sigmoidoscopy, treatments for haemorrhoids and other perianal conditions, such as fistula and abscesses. My colleague, Mr Kinross, is an expert in the gut micro biome, and we are all experts in diagnosing and treating conditions of the lower digestive tract, which includes the colon, the rectum and the anus.

In terms of robotic surgery, what sort of advances can we expect to see in future?

The next few years are going to be incredibly exciting, and I believe there will be huge strides made across all areas of robotic surgery. At a basic level, I think surgeons are simply going to be able to perform a much wider range of surgical procedures robotically. The robots of the future will be smaller and more sophisticated, which, as far as colorectal surgery is concerned, means that patients will end up with fewer and smaller incisions being made. Surgery could also become smoother and less invasive due to the increased use of artificial intelligence.

We should also see a more widespread reliance on digital health in terms of assessments, imaging and visualisation.

This will have an increasingly significant impact on the planning and implementation of medical procedures.

However, as with the increased use of robotics, there will still be a need for experienced, well-trained surgeons that are leading these technologies. This is what we have at King Edward VII’s Hospital, and I feel incredibly proud to be part of such an incredible and forward-thinking team.

“The next few years are going to be incredibly exciting, and I believe there will be huge strides made across all areas of robotic surgery”

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Committed to defeating cancer and to democratising proton therapy

Advanced Oncotherapy is set to deliver disruptive proton therapy technology in the treatment of cancer.

Its innovative LIGHT (LINAC Image Guided Hadron Technology) Proton Therapy Solution* has been designed to offer clinically superior treatments for cancer patients, as well as operational advantages for hospitals and clinics.

*The LIGHT Proton Therapy System is still subject to conformity assessment by Advanced Oncotherapy’s Notified Body as well as clearance by the USA-FDA

Radiation therapy remains the most established and economical cancer therapy Radiation, used alone or in association with different treatments, has been an effective tool for treating cancer for more than 100 years. It is estimated that about two-thirds of US cancer patients will receive radiation as unique treatment or as part of a more complex therapeutic protocol, and it remains today the most economical approach to cure cancer.

Proton therapy: the new generation of radiation treatments in oncology Proton therapy is an advanced form of cancer therapy that takes radiation to a new level. It targets areas of the body with a higher degree of precision and with fewer side effects than what is observed with conventional X-rays machines.

As protons travel through the body, most of the energy is reserved and released where the protons stop i.e. in the tumour. This is a unique physical characteristic of proton called the Bragg Peak. However, photons – used in conventional radiation therapy – release energy along the entire path they travel. This fundamental difference is what makes proton therapy preferential for certain tumours. If critical organs are along the path the radiation travels, protons cause less damage to them. Proton therapy can reduce excess radiation to normal cells and critical structures and organs with 60% less radiation to healthy tissues.

Dose (%)

Bragg Peak

Damage occurring to surrounding tissue

Protons The proton dose increases with depth, resulting in a Bragg curve with a peak at the required depth level. This results in significant extra dose in the tumour.

X-rays (Photons) Photon dose distributions as a function of depth show a maximum dose close to the entrance after a short build-up and then an exponentially decreasing energy deposition with increasing depth in tissue.

Tumour Depth (cm)

Our distinctiveness LIGHT is the first linear proton therapy system dedicated to the treatment of tumours. It combines a compact linear accelerator made up by a sequence of accelerating structures and the hardware and software needed for covering the needs of clinicians, such as the treatment planning function and its optimisation.

LIGHT accelerates protons in a straight path obviating the need for bending magnets

LIGHT system in the testing and assembly site

and addressing the technical challenges associated with legacy systems.

Making proton more accessible Conventional proton therapy systems require a large footprint and significant capital investment. This is primarily due to the unsolved technical challenges associated with the way protons are accelerated: in a circular fashion; this makes proton therapy out of reach for most

hospitals and inaccessible for many patients.

Making more compact systems and reducing their costs are a way to lower the threshold and make proton therapy a treatment option available to everyone. Through its noncircular and modular design developed at the world-renowned organisation CERN, LIGHT is uniquely positioned to make proton therapy more accessible. Soon, LIGHT will be available in the UK, but also in many other countries around the world.

LIGHT is designed to deliver a highquality proton beam Variable spot size Future versions of LIGHT should allow for the spot size to be changed rapidly.

The large spots allow for a target to be painted rapidly; the smaller spots allow for increased accuracy.

Rapid painting The beam is controlled electronically and can be moved up to 200 times per second across the tumour, rapidly covering the target volume.

Target conformality The variable spot size, energy delivery, and energy change are designed for the physician to achieve the maximum tumour response whilst minimizing damage to surrounding healthy tissues.

Variable energy The energy in the LIGHT System is varied electronically without moving parts. There is no need for absorbers or any other energy reduction devices for most beam energies.

This results in a cleaner, more versatile system. The electronic energy changes are designed to be especially applied to

LIGHT beam

Cyclotron beam

moving tumours. This is a unique feature of linear accelerators and cannot be achieved with any other system.

Mini-beam Advanced Oncotherapy’s LIGHT has been designed to generate a much smaller beam, a mini-beam, than is possible with current proton therapy technology. The use of a smaller beam means greater accuracy in targeting the desired tissue, which is essential when treating tumours near critical organs, particularly for the edge of the tumours.

Dose Difference plot (LIGHT minus Cyclotron dose)

Making proton therapy more affordable LIGHT is well positioned to reduce the treatment price per patient at a fraction of the price charged today for patients receiving proton therapy. LIGHT has been designed to minimise the costs of setting up and running a proton therapy centre as well as maximise the patient throughput.

The LIGHT system is modular and hence can be easily installed directly into clinical facilities. It produces proton beams at the required energy level for treatment without the need for degraders, therefore greatly decreasing the need for expensive shielding and reducing the building and installation cost.

LIGHT requires less shielding, a significant source of cost reduction. LIGHT is also constructed in reasonable size modules. This has many advantages over conventional proton therapy systems: • • • • •

it can be easily installed directly into existing clinical facilities; it can be installed in a contiguous and densely populated environment; it does not require expensive cranes or load handling devices; it is easier to transport, commission and decommission; it enables easier maintenance given

that individual modules can be replaced as opposed to the entire system.

The modularity of the LIGHT system also brings additional benefits for customers in the context of facilitating high-volume production and optimising future costs as well funding the acquisition of the equipment and reducing the upfront cash outlay.

Operators and financial institutions are very sensitive to the value proposition, the potential and the quality of care of Advanced Oncotherapy’s LIGHT system. Between December 2019 and May 2021, six partnerships were announced:

London – Harley Street Partnership with The London Clinic to operate a LIGHT system in Harley Street

Cleveland Clinic

Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham

Two-year study to evaluate the target conformity of proton mini-beams in comparison with X-ray stereotactic body radiation therapy and strereotactic radiosurgery

Research collaboration partnership for installing a LIGHT system in Birmingham

The Mediterranean Hospital of Limassol

Saba Partners Partnership to install a LIGHT system in Glion, Switzerland

Sale of a LIGHT system to the Mediterranean Hospital (Cyprus)

Kineo Finance Partnership with Kineo Finance (previously DiaMedCare AG) to fund the leasing of LIGHT systems to customers

“Proton beam therapy is a very exciting new treatment, but access has been limited due to the costs and size of equipment. Until now. Advanced Oncotherapy’s LIGHT system reduces size and cost, while providing the same high success rate for patients. We’re excited to be the first hospital in London to offer this new treatment. The new service will adjoin our main site on Harley Street, and enable The London Clinic to help even more patients fight and survive cancer while furthering our aim of advancing healthcare.”

Al Russell, Chief Executive Officer of The London Clinic

For further information on Advanced Oncotherapy and its innovative LIGHT system, please get in touch.

London Office Advanced Oncotherapy plc Third Floor, 4 Tenterden Street W1S 1TE London

STFC Daresbury Laboratory Testing and Assembly Site Keckwick Lane Warrington WA4 4AD

ADAM S.A. US Office Netherlands Advanced Oncotherapy R&D Advanced Oncotherapy Advanced Oncotherapy B.V. facility Americas Inc Kazernestraat 88D Rue de Veyrot 11, 1217 120 Walton Street, Suite 105 2514CW Den Haag Syracuse NY 13202 USA The Netherlands Meyrin, Switzerland

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Advanced Oncotherapy plc

WOMEN'S HEALTH

A HOLISTIC APPROACH TO WOMEN'S HEALTH Dr Shahzadi Harper, founder of The Harper Clinic, explains why she is so passionate about providing women with pioneering and holistic healthcare

What prompted you to open The Harper Clinic?

I opened the clinic in October 2018 because I believed there was a real need for a specialist facility that focused not just on female health, but on the overall wellbeing of women; especially those facing significant hormonal changes. Hormones have such a huge impact on a woman’s life journey so for me it was important to create a 360-degree approach to women’s physical and emotional health.

I am the eldest of six sisters and I have a daughter myself, so I have always been interested in helping women to proactively manage their health. And I am passionate about supporting my patients through the perimenopause and the menopause because for far too long the medical world has dismissed the changes women face in midlife.

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How does the clinic stand out in terms of its unique ethos and patient care?

The aim of the clinic is to take a more holistic and individual approach to every element of women’s health. Overall, I wanted to create a boutique facility where a woman can feel instantly at ease.

I guess my approach is conversational as I try and find out exactly what my patients are experiencing, which is why I send them questionnaires before their consultations, and I offer relaxed, unhurried 45-minute appointments.

These sessions are supportive and educational, and cover everything from the physical changes a patient is experiencing right through to assessing her psychological welfare. As part of this process, we will also discuss any supplements, medications, and other treatments that might be suitable too.

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I offer virtual consultations which have become increasingly popular throughout the pandemic, and the clinic has a very international reach with patients from as far afield as Saudi Arabia, Hong Kong, South Africa and the United States, as well as other parts of Europe.

No matter where my patients are in the world, the ethos of the clinic is to give women back their power and I always try and do a full wellness assessment for each patient first, which includes making sure they are up to date with their mammograms and smear tests and could involve arranging blood tests to check if they are anaemic or their hormones are out of sync, before then focusing on specific health issues and treatment plans. The women I see in my clinic tend to be busy and high-powered, and often, they want someone else to come up with a plan, which when it comes to

their health, is exactly what I do, as well as providing them with positive lifestyle solutions and extensive after care.

What services does the clinic currently offer?

The Harper Clinic offers services to women of all ages who are dealing with hormonal issues such as the menopause, the perimenopause, premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). It also offers advice on weight management and emotional eating.

Later this year, there will be a nutritionist in place, and the clinic will be offering patients a revolutionary non-surgical bodysculpting and muscle-toning procedure that uses focused electromagnetic energy to help women to manage those stubborn pockets of fat in their bodies.

In terms of other pioneering procedures, the clinic currently provides Femilift –

1 Dr Shahzadi Harper founded The Harper Clinic in October 2018, focusing not just on female health, but on the overall wellbeing of women (PHOTO: THE HARPER CLINIC)

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WOMEN'S HEALTH

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“The ethos of the clinic is to give women back their power”

a painless, quick and minimally invasive laser treatment that regenerates the collagen fibres in the vagina. Over time, childbirth and hormonal changes can lead to involuntary urine leakages, vaginal dryness and infections. But this painless outpatient procedure can reduce bladder leaks and increase laxity and sexual satisfaction.

Your approach to the menopause is pioneering. Why are you so passionate about supporting women through this time in their lives?

Today, the average age for women to experience the menopause is 51, whereas most women live well into their eighties.

I desperately want to show my patients that midlife isn’t the end of life – as in many ways, it’s simply a new beginning.

And I’d really like to be the doctor who can ‘join the dots up’ for women and encourage them to take charge of both their physical and mental health.

The narrative of the midlife woman tends to be a rather negative one – as she is portrayed as angry, hormonal, and overwhelmed. The menopause has been seen in the past as something a woman had to get through, but to me that seemed unfair, as I didn’t feel that women were getting the help they deserved, and so many were emerging from their midlife years feeling unnecessarily old, grey, and utterly exhausted. Rather than just helping women in the here and now, the clinic’s mission is to enable them to protect their health in the future, and to reduce their risks of dementia, cardiovascular problems, and other big health issues.

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What are the most common menopause symptoms and concerns your patients are coming to you with?

So many women feel lost and confused as there is so much more to the menopause than hot flushes and mood swings. They might be suffering from joint pain, which is a little known but common symptom, as are anxiety and insomnia. The women I see are also feeling uncharacteristically irritable, they are hypersensitive and are struggling to control their emotions.

Other symptoms they experience are hair loss and vaginal atrophy, due to hormonal changes; they can suddenly feel like their skin has become old and saggy, their mood might be rather flat, and they might be experiencing a loss of libido. Women of this age also tend to encounter brain fog, forgetfulness, and a sudden lack of confidence. Sadly, the menopause can have a huge impact on women’s lives, and I see patients who are leaving the workplace because they can no longer deal with their stressful jobs, and their relationships might also be suffering as they feel so out of control.

There has been much debate and many myths about hormone replacement therapy (HRT).

Are such concerns justified?

Personally, I am very pro HRT, although I recognise it doesn’t work for every woman. It has received quite a bad press in recent years because of its association with increased breast cancer risk, but HRT significantly reduces a woman’s

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chances of developing heart disease, dementia, and osteoporosis. It is important to remember that five times the number of women now die from heart disease than breast cancer, so in most cases the protective powers of the oestrogen have a positive longterm impact on a woman’s health.

HRT hugely improves all the symptoms of the menopause, and with each patient, I will look closely at their concerns and risks, and I will talk these through with each woman first. I would like to stress that HRT doesn’t have to be a binary approach. If, for instance, a woman wants to try HRT out for six months to see how it goes, I am more than happy to support her through that process.

What, in your opinion, is the biggest issue now facing women’s health?

I honestly think that obesity is one of the biggest health risks facing women today. Research shows that 60 per cent of midlife women in the UK are now either obese or overweight; they are also becoming increasingly sedentary. I think we need to ask why this is happening; is it to do with hormone imbalances, mental health problems or exhaustion?

The reason why I believe we need to be tacking obesity in women of this age is because being overweight is a significant risk factor for dementia and cardiovascular disease, both of which can present significant health problems for women as they get older.

2-5 Modern and comfortable facilities await visitors to the Harper Clinic's traditional Harley Street location (PHOTOS: THE HARPER CLINIC)

The Harper Clinic 38 Harley Street Marylebone London W1G 8QH Tel +44 (0) 20 7637 8820 Email info@theharperclinic.com www.theharperclinic.com

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WOMEN'S HEALTH

LEADING A REVOLUTION IN REPRODUCTION How the London Egg Bank applied fast freezing to the new demands of reproductive medicine

New eras come and go with remarkable frequency in medicine. No sooner does one recede than another looms large on the horizon. Yet the truth is that progress in medicine – especially in reproductive medicine – comes not in giant leaps but in gradual steps, taken largely in the laboratory and in the painstaking advances of science.

traditional ‘slow’ freezing technique that gently freezes reproductive embryos for storage at -196°C. The technique was fine to store the excess embryos generated in an IVF treatment cycle. It was safe for the embryos, which did not lose viability when thawed, and meant that just one good-quality embryo could be transferred to the uterus for pregnancy.

There is a revolution in reproduction now evident here in Harley Street, where the London Egg Bank is home to the UK’s largest and most advanced egg-freezing programme, the origins of which lay just a decade ago not in a eureka moment, but in the step-by-step development of a fastfreezing technology known as vitrification.

The flash-freezing technique of vitrification, however, can reduce reproductive cells – including eggs – to a glass-like state in just seconds, and thereby remove any threat from ice crystals when the cells are thawed. So, while slow freezing worked well for embryos, it didn’t for eggs. Thawing sometimes caused damage to the microarchitecture of the eggs and, thus, for three decades, egg freezing remained on the back-burner of reproductive medicine, ever one of its greatest challenges.

Freezing in reproductive medicine is not new. Ever since the world’s first IVF birth in 1978, fertility clinics have relied on a

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WOMEN'S HEALTH

1

But the development of vitrification changed all that and gradually studies showed that vitrified eggs were just as viable in fertility treatments as ‘fresh’ eggs collected from an immediate IVF cycle.

These are now the eggs used to support cryobanks for egg donation and to extend fertility for those freezing their eggs.

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1 An analysis of 550 young women successfully registering with the London Egg Bank as egg donors showed their average age was 24 | 2 Dr Kamal Ahuja, director of the London Egg Bank | 3 Visitors are welcomed by warm and contemporary surroundings | 4 A recent study revealed a birth rate of 38% with donated eggs from the London Egg Bank – higher than routine IVF treatments (PHOTOS: LONDON WOMEN'S CLINIC)

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The London Egg Bank, a specialist service of the London Women’s Clinic, is now the UK’s leading centre for egg donation and egg freezing, and at the head of a steeply climbing curve of reproductive trends. The latest report from the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority, the sector’s regulator, noted a continuing upturn in the number of egg donation cycles performed in the UK. In the past 20 years, their use (with donor sperm) has increased 50-fold – from 27 cycles in 1991 to 1,375 cycles in 2019 – while donor eggs (with partner sperm) increased 22-fold – to 3,058 cycles in 2019. These are substantial increases are explained, first, by advances in egg freezing made possible by vitrification, and,

second, by a social trend that has seen more and more couples deferring their first pregnancies – but, in so doing, running a greater risk of age-related infertility.

“It’s an unequivocal fact of reproductive biology that female fertility declines with age,” explains the London Egg Bank’s director, Dr Kamal Ahuja. “This decline usually starts in a woman’s mid-30s, so that, by the time she’s reached 40, the eggs remaining in her ovaries are fewer in number and poorer in quality. For some women – and especially those who suffer from an early menopause – egg donation provides the only possibility of having a baby.”

This pattern of age-related infertility is clearly evident in the HFEA’s latest report on treatment trends in the UK, where the use of donor eggs increases markedly in women over 40 – and, crucially, where the level of success depends not on the age of the patient receiving the donor egg, but on the age of the egg itself.

WOMEN'S HEALTH

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A recently published study analysing the results of more than 700 egg donation treatments with eggs from the London Egg Bank reveals a birth rate of 38%.

These are success rates far higher than achieved in routine IVF treatments anywhere in the UK, and were achieved without any effect of recipient age (which averaged 44 years). The study underlines the extent to which vitrification has revolutionised egg donation in the UK, and how a domestic source of donor eggs can meet the demands and expectations of recipient patients.

Indeed, the large number of altruistic donors in this study represents a wholly domestic source of donor eggs, recruited between January 2017 and December 2019, in a programme introduced to prospective donors and recipients via seminars, the London Egg Bank website and social media. As such, the study and its results not only reflect the excellent viability of vitrified donor eggs at the London Egg Bank, but

also reaffirm the potential of a homeproduced programme derived only from domestic altruistic donors and recipients turning to a local clinic for treatment.

Egg donation and egg donors For many years, donor eggs have been in scarce supply in the UK. This meant long waiting lists for those unfortunate patients who needed them, or, usually, a trip abroad to an overseas clinic – in Spain, Ukraine or Cyprus – where eggs were more plentiful. Travel restrictions during the pandemic may well have frustrated much of this cross-border treatment, but the latest results from the London Egg Bank are a reassuring reminder that a domestic egg donation programme can achieve excellent results and can flourish here in the UK. This about-turn for egg donation in the UK not only means treatment is coming home, but also means huge advantages for patients. First, the long delays waiting for a suitably matched donor have been

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Success rate We manage the egg freezing process from start to finish to ensure the highest quality of eggs. As a result of our consistent and reliable approach, many healthy babies have been born through frozen eggs

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WOMEN'S HEALTH

“Egg donors are keen to help others in their hopes for a family and are well informed about infertility and its various treatments”

replaced by rapid selection from an online catalogue of multiple donors, whose banked eggs are immediately ready for treatment. Thus, the need for synchronising the cycles of the donor and the recipient with hormone therapy is no longer needed – as are the expense and unknowns of seeking treatment overseas.

Familymakers Since 1985

Today, egg donation in the UK is an anonymous activity. That's the law. Not until any children born from egg donation reach the age of 18 do they have the right to know the details of their donor's identity.

Until then, the life-giving donor remains unknown to the ever-grateful recipient.

Studies show time and time again that egg donors are keen to help others in their hopes for a family and are well informed about infertility and its various treatments. For example, a study of more than 1,400 European egg donors has reported that, while financial compensation was an important motivation for some, the majority of donors were eager to help infertile couples for purely altruistic reasons.

However, the identity of the donor was even more of a mystery when most patients from Britain had to travel overseas for their donor eggs. But now, at the London Egg Bank, we have for the first time a fairly clear picture of who the donors really are. An analysis of 550 young women successfully registering with the London Egg Bank as egg donors showed their average age was 24, almost twothirds (62%) had a university degree and the rest (38%) had advanced qualifications.

Rules on compensation introduced by the HFEA in 2012 ensure that any donors who do provide eggs for use by other patients in UK clinics are not out of pocket – with up to £750 now available to cover the time and expenses incurred in the course of the donation. But the majority of donors, as our own research indicates, represent a new generation of socially aware, altruistic donors keen and willing to provide the eggs that, in others, are unfortunately not available.

Age is an important factor. Indeed, egg donation is now the most successful fertility treatment in Europe, with the latest figures showing higher live birth rates than recorded for IVF and ICSI. The explanation is simply that donor eggs usually come from healthy young donors without fertility problems and before an age-related decline in their own natural fertility.

Egg freezing to preserve fertility

All egg donors at the London Egg Bank are fit and healthy, and able to meet the HFEA’s strict screening criteria. Screening is not just to confirm general health, but also to rule out any signs of infection or genetic disease. And only after this comprehensive screening can the donor recruit become

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an egg donor. The eggs are produced as in a standard IVF procedure – with fertility hormones to encourage several eggs to develop in the ovary.

With accumulating evidence that cryopreservation with vitrification could store and thaw eggs without damage, the first reports of fertility preservation were in female patients facing cancer treatment with chemo- or radiotherapy. This would often (but not always) damage the ovaries and, thus, fertility, which with improving survival rates after treatment was an evergreater unwanted effect of treatment.

The technique of fertility preservation by egg freezing was later extended to women who for various ‘non-medical’ reasons also wished to postpone their own childbearing. Today, this ‘elective’ egg

WOMEN'S HEALTH

10,000 eggs thawed

30,000 eggs frozen

74% cumulative pregnancy success rate (with our frozen eggs, age >35)

freezing – or for ‘social’ reasons – offers an insurance against an unavoidable age-related decline in fertility and is one of the rapidly growing reproductive treatments in Britain, and today is a specialist and popular procedure at the London Egg Bank. The HFEA has recently described it as ‘a rapidly changing field’, with patient numbers, though still small overall, increasing year by year.

Studies show that the reasons for elective egg freezing are usually not as the popular press portrays – career, ‘empowerment’ – but more the lack of a suitable partner.

The team behind the London Egg Bank has a record in egg freezing and egg donation that goes back more than 25 years.

Throughout that time they have helped

more than 10,000 families have babies in circumstances in which donor eggs were the only possible way to have children.

Egg donation may account for only around 10% of all assisted reproduction treatments in the UK, but for these relatively few women it represents their only chance of having a baby of their own. And now, in the provision of a fertility preservation service, many women who faced the prospect of a childless future have, in egg freezing, a chance to put their fertility on ice and wait until the time is right for them. Working alongside the London Women’s Clinic, the London Egg Bank offers the most advanced technologies in egg donation and cryopreservation, and can meet the treatment needs of a small, but ever-growing, group of patients.

For more information, please visit: www.londoneggbank.com www.londonwomensclinic.com

or write to: Kamal Ahuja London Women's Clinic 113-115 Harley Street London W1G 6AP

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MENTAL HEALTH

Background colour of profile photos to be 15% black with a little bit of the noise filter in photoshop

Akthar Hussain, Managing Director

Dr David Oyewole, Medical Director

OUTSTANDING PSYCHIATRIC CARE Nightingale Hospital is a fully private adult psychiatric hospital delivering treatment for all types of mental health conditions, including addictions, and eating disorders. For over 30 years, our expert multidisciplinary team has been delivering outstanding and discreet care in outpatient, day-patient and inpatient settings.

terminal at St Pancras International station is approximately 15 minutes' taxi journey from the hospital.

For families or friends wishing to accompany or visit loved ones receiving inpatient treatment, there are a large number of hotels within close proximity of the hospital.

Our location

1 The range and depth of expertise at Nightingale Hospital ensures that each patient’s unique treatment needs are met (PHOTO: NIGHTINGALE HOSPITAL)

Nightingale Hospital is located in central London, a two-minute walk from Marylebone rail and underground stations.

It has excellent public transport links, enabling ease of travel across the capital and to all London mainline train stations and London airports. The Eurostar

A specialised clinical team delivering world-class treatment Nightingale Hospital is home to a robust team consisting of more than 60 consultant psychiatrists, supported by ward doctors, mental health nurses and a highly skilled therapy team.

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MENTAL HEALTH

Our large therapy services team consists of more than 80 therapists, with a mix of counselling and clinical psychologists and psychotherapists. This team also includes art therapists, family therapists, dieticians and occupational therapists.

This extensive range and depth of expertise enables us to ensure that each patient’s unique treatment needs are met.

Conditions we treat General mental health conditions Including depression, anxiety, stress, bipolar disorders, obsessivecompulsive disorder, mood disorders, sleep problems, ADHD, trauma, PTSD, psychosis, perinatal mental health, and medically unexplained symptoms.

Addictions Including alcohol addiction, drug addiction (such as

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amphetamine, benzodiazepine, cannabis, cocaine, ecstasy, heroin, opiates and addiction to prescription and pain medication), behavioural addictions (including gambling, technology, and internet addiction) and sex and love addiction.

Eating disorders Including anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, bingeing and other specified feeding and eating disorder (OSFED).

Treatment settings When accessing any type of treatment at Nightingale Hospital, all patients are comprehensively assessed.

This assessment will considers a patient’s personal circumstances and support network, as well as their psychiatric need and level of presenting risk.

MENTAL HEALTH

Through this process, our clinicians can determine which tier of treatment (either outpatient, day-patient or inpatient).

In instances of psychiatric emergencies, admissions may be able to take place without an outpatient assessment.

Outpatient appointments Outpatient appointments can take place face-to-face, or virtually using online platforms.

Inpatient treatment All inpatients are under the care of a Nightingale Hospital consultant psychiatrist. Inpatient treatment provides intensive 24-hour care and risk monitoring.

patient has acute disturbances of mood, behaviour or thinking; or requires highdosage, intensive medication, which may be associated with side-effects.

2 Nightingale Hospital is able to accept international patients from across the world | 3 Group therapy is a key part of inpatient treatment, providing the opportunity for patients to challenge the way they see themselves (PHOTOS: NIGHTINGALE HOSPITAL)

Following a comprehensive assessment, all inpatients are admitted to a ward based on their diagnosis. The hospital has a female-only general psychiatry ward for patients who require a same-sex inpatient setting.

The hospital is extremely well placed to treat patients with co-morbidities, as well as those with a dual diagnosis, due to the extensive and diverse expertise across our clinician base.

Group therapy This can be essential where a patient poses a serious risk of harm to themselves and/or others. It can also be essential if a

An intensive and flexible group therapy programme is an integral part of inpatient treatment. Group therapy provides the

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“A thorough psychiatric evaluation will determine the treatment setting that a patient will require”

opportunity for patients to challenge the way they see themselves and allows them to learn new ways of being in the world. The core group therapy programme takes place seven days a week and consists of up to four groups a day. This includes a combination of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), interpersonal therapy (IPT), expressive therapies, skills workshops, wellness sessions and psycho-educational groups.

At Nightingale Hospital, we offer a choice of highly specialised treatments, all of which have been proven to be effective in the management of TRD. Before receiving any of these treatments, a patient will have to be assessed by a Nightingale Hospital consultant psychiatrist. The purpose of the assessment is to establish what course of treatment is the most appropriate for an individual patient.

Day patient treatment

Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS)

Patients may ‘step down’ from inpatient treatment to our day therapy programme.

This process provides support in managing the transition from fully supported 24hour hospital care, back to a patient’s usual environment, including family life, work or study. Continuity is provided by the patient remaining under the care of their consultant psychiatrist.

Treatment-resistant depression services For some people with depression, taking anti-depressant medication and/or engaging with psychological therapies will help them effectively manage their depressive symptoms. However, for individuals with treatment-resistant depression (TRD), these standard measures are often not effective.

It is thought that up to one-third of people with major depressive disorders will not respond to standard treatment.

The hospital has a Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) service for treatment-resistant depression and/ or obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Nightingale was the first hospital in the UK, and still is, to use the highly specialised and effective Deep TMS or ‘dTMS’.

This treatment is available to outpatients, day patients and inpatients at Nightingale Hospital.

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) Electroconvulsive therapy is a procedure, administered under general anaesthetic, that emits small currents throughout the brain, intentionally triggering a small seizure. ECT is known to cause changes in brain chemistry that can reverse some mental health conditions, specifically depression.

Spravato (Esketamine nasal spray) treatment Nightingale Hospital is the first private hospital in the UK to provide Spravato (Esketamine nasal spray) to treat treatment-resistant depression.

The treatment is administered as a prescription nasal spray and taken in conjunction with an oral anti-depressant.

The treatment was proven in a clinical study to reduce depressive symptoms in patients in four weeks, that took the nasal spray and an oral anti-depressant, compared to patients who took anti-

* (Popova V, Daly EJ, Trivedi M, Cooper K, Lane R, Lim P, et al. Efficacy and Safety of Flexibly Dosed Esketamine Nasal Spray Combined with a Newly Initiated Oral Antidepressant in Treatment-Resistant Depression: A Randomized Double-Blind Active-Controlled Study. (TRANSFORM-2). The Am Journal of psychiatry. 2019;176(6):428-38) 4

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depressants alone.* This treatment is available to outpatients and inpatients.

Stansted, London City or Luton) they have flown into, and privately transferred by taxi to the hospital.

International patients Nightingale Hospital welcomes international patients. Our highly experienced Patient Services Team will guide international patients in coordinating treatment as an outpatient or as an inpatient at the hospital.

We will also collect patients from St Pancras International railway station (the Eurostar terminal location), which is approximately 15 minutes' taxi ride from the hospital, or from any London mainline railway station.

When an international patient arrives in London for inpatient treatment at Nightingale Hospital, they can be picked up at whichever of London's airports (Heathrow, Gatwick,

Some of the clinical team directly involved in a patient’s care may be able to consult in different languages. If required, we are able, at an additional cost, to provide translator services.

4 Outpatient appointments can take place face-to-face, or virtually using online platforms | 5 Nightingale Hospital is located within a beautiful and historic building, dating back to 1902 (PHOTOS: NIGHTINGALE HOSPITAL)

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“The hospital has a wealth of experience in treating international and VIP patients, including high-profile individuals”

Additional concierge services are available, and these can be discussed and arranged via the Patient Services Team.

VIP patients and private suite packages for self-funding patients The hospital has a wealth of experience in treating international and VIP patients, including high-profile individuals.

Larger private suites are available at a supplementary cost, for those seeking additional comfort and privacy, or for patients seeking to bring staff with them.

be accessed via private medical insurance or can be self-funded | 7 Nightingale Hospital is home to more than 60 consultant psychiatrists (PHOTOS: NIGHTINGALE HOSPITAL)

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− 1:1 time with the hospital’s head chef to discuss patient dietary requirements, and the creation of an individualised menu if desired

− Free meals for patient guests and/or visitors

− External laundering and dry cleaning of clothes can also be arranged for an additional cost

Hospital facilities The suites are located on the top floor of the hospital, each of which provides two bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms and a communal waiting area. To ensure maximum privacy and confidentiality, access to the top floor is restricted.

We have strict measures in place to ensure that all patients, celebrity status or not, have their confidentiality protected. High-profile patients can access treatment at Nightingale Hospital using an alias if they wish. In the case of suspected paparazzi, patients can, in order to protect their privacy, access the hospital via a discreet side entrance.

6 Treatment at Nightingale Hospital can

− Dedicated nurses per patient

Private suite packages include the following:

− 1:1 therapy sessions tailored to the needs of the individual patient

Our hospital is located within a beautiful and historic English site, dating back to 1902.

Each patient has their own room with a television, and all rooms are equipped with an ensuite toilet and shower or bath.

The hospital’s restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. It offers an extensive daily menu. Vegetarian and vegan options are available, and any specific dietary or religious requirements can be catered for.

Exercise is an integral part of overall health.

Nightingale Hospital offers a gymnasium for patient use, for when an individual is not participating in group therapy programmes. A personal trainer employed by the hospital will offer patients an initial assessment, and then tailor an exercise

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programme for them based on their fitness level and goals. This is a free service.

Hospital can accessed via private medical insurance or can be self-funded.

We have the convenience of an on-site pharmacy, located on the ground floor of the hospital. This is led by a team of pharmacists who specialise in mental health medication and which can offer expert advice.

Nightingale Hospital is accredited by all major private medical health insurers and works with many different medical insurance and medical assistance companies from all over the world.

Funding treatment Outpatient appointments, day therapy, and inpatient treatment at Nightingale

8 Each patient has their own room with a television, and all rooms are equipped with an ensuite toilet and shower or bath (PHOTO: NIGHTINGALE HOSPITAL)

In addition, the hospital accepts patients funded by embassies, corporate organisations, management companies, and other third parties.

For more information on services at Nightingale Hospital, please contact: Deborah Casserly, Hospital & Client Liaison deborah.casserly@nightingalehospital.co.uk Nightingale Hospital, 11-19 Lisson Grove, Marylebone, London NW1 6SH

@NightingaleHospitalUK @nightingale-hospital

Tel: +44 (0)20 7535 7700

@NightingaleHosp

nightingalehospital.co.uk

@nightingalehospitalUK

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Schoen Clinic Day Centre for Mental Health Chelsea

A highly specialised private outpatient clinic in the heart of Chelsea, London, treating anxiety, mood and eating disorders.

At Schoen Clinic Chelsea, we understand that most people’s mental well-being has suffered during the pandemic. The physical health risks of Covid-19 have been well documented in the media; however, the effects on mental health – in people of all ages – have also been significant.

Busy work schedules, studying and hectic family life can prevent us from taking the time we need to seek help, but whether you are struggling to cope with pre-existing mental health problems, or you are experiencing them for the first time, now is the time to take those first steps to feeling better.

Schoen Clinic Chelsea is a highly specialised outpatient clinic providing personalised treatment packages for young people (11-17 years) with eating disorders – such as anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge-eating disorder or Other Specified Feeding or Eating Disorder (OSFED) not requiring inpatient care, but in need of treatment.

We also treat adults (18+ years) with anxiety and mood disorders such as depression, anxiety, panic disorders, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), bipolar disorder, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Trauma or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

Using a multidisciplinary approach as well as individual therapy, every patient receives the personalised treatment plan they need for a successful recovery.

Our intensive treatment programmes have been specifically designed to cater for everyone, allowing patients to find the one that fits with their daily life.

The clinic is bright, friendly and modern with six consulting rooms, three group therapy rooms, a large patient lounge, a relaxation area and a fully fitted training kitchen to help rehabilitate patients with eating disorders.

Our treatment programmes cover key areas for recovery with groups including Psychotherapy, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Compassionate Minds, Dance Movement Therapy, Assertiveness, Dietetic Support and Mindfulness. Every person is a partner in their care, with treatment tailored to individual needs, based on the latest evidencebased research.

Our multidisciplinary team approach means that throughout treatment, the patient is at the centre of a team of experts including Psychotherapists, Dietitians, Psychiatrists and Counselling Psychologists, all working together to ensure the most effective and timely treatment pathway.

Schoen Clinic Chelsea is open Monday to Friday to welcome national and international privately insured and self-funding patients (international patients will be required to attend the clinic in person as all treatment cannot be conducted virtually).

Start your treatment journey today Call us: +44 (0)20 3146 2300 Visit our website: www.schoen-clinic.co.uk/chelsea Email us: che-enquiries@schoen-clinic.co.uk Visit us: 13a Radnor Walk, London, SW3 4BP

LIVE AND BREATHE THE INDIAN HEALTHCARE MARKET

SALVATOR HEALTHCARE Pvt LTD, specialises in marketing and distribution of branded bio-medical and medical products. We import, support and market bio-medical equipment that serves in OPs, imaging, general medicine, medical supplies and consumer healthcare products. We are the representative in India of international manufacturers including Trenad Medical Brazil.

We are working effectively in building upon a successful portfolio of products, any of which are leaders in their respective areas, including general health, surgery, ICU, pediatrics, hematology, radiology, oncology, radiotherapy, patient immobilisation, anesthesia, neurology, dialysis and more. We are working to become a leading presence in the South Indian market for products from various market leaders.

salvatorhealthcare.com

EXPERIENCE LONDON

There’s something for everyone on Regent Street and St James's From fashion and art to fine dining and top-class entertainment, all tastes and interests are catered for in this prestigious part of London's West End

Located in the heart of London's West End, Regent Street is one of the world's most prestigious lifestyle destinations, famous for its flagship stores and international brands.

Named after the Prince Regent, the street was built in 1819 under the direction of architect John Nash and its Grade II-listed facades represent some of the most distinguished architecture in London.

Following its construction, Regent Street became the original shopping street for the capital and has grown into a world-renowned destination that curates year-round memorable experiences that go beyond world-class shopping. The street has continually evolved during these 200 years, taking inspiration from the past while always innovating and looking to the future.

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Regent Street’s position in the heart of London and the West End means that it is just a stone’s throw away from other vibrant destinations, including Oxford Street, Carnaby Street, Soho and Covent Garden, as well as the nearby open spaces of Green Park.

Famous brands and flagship stores Regent Street's stores pride themselves on going above and beyond. The street is home to an array of famous British and international fashion brands, including Burberry, Tommy Hilfiger and Hugo Boss, as well as flagship stores from technology giants such as Apple and Microsoft.

The appeal of Regent Street isn’t confined to shopping and fashion. From in-store cafés and bars to beauty experiences and more, there is something for everyone to discover and enjoy.

Wellness experiences can be found in the likes of Glow Bar and DryBy, as well as Psycle, Barry's Bootcamp and Rapha.

For those seeking sustenance, Regent Street and neighbouring Heddon Street boast an incredible array of drinking and dining options that are truly unmissable.

Award-winning restaurants With cuisine ranging from Australianstyle brunch restaurants to Japanese, Spanish and Argentinian, as well as vegan and vegetarian options, there is something for everyone to enjoy.

Experience award-winning restaurants such as the Araki and Sabor, to fine dining Italian at Frescobaldi, local coffee haunt Hagen and casual dine-ins and takeaways such as Neat Burger.

No visit to London would be complete without taking afternoon tea at one of the

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city’s finest establishments, and there is no better location than the Hotel Café Royal, where their award-winning afternoon tea is served in the historic Grade II-listed surroundings of the Oscar Wilde Lounge.

Visitors to the West End during the winter months can also enjoy Regent Street’s spectacular Christmas lights display.

The street became the first-ever central London destination to introduce Christmas lights in 1954, and the annual display, known as ‘The Spirit of Christmas’, is the largest and most famous in the UK. At the south end of Regent Street lies St James’s, an area of London that celebrates shopping, dining and culture.

Forming part of the West End, it is also bordered by Piccadilly to the north, St James’s Park and The Mall to the south, Green Park to the west and Haymarket to the east. Its four corners are considered as St James's Palace, The Ritz, Piccadilly Circus and Trafalgar Square.

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The area was founded by permission of King Charles II on St James’s Fields, developing in the 17th century as a residential location, while since the Second World War the area has transitioned from residential to commercial use.

A hidden gem This serene neighbourhood has long been considered one of London’s hidden gems. While the famous landmarks, streets and open spaces of St James’s remain the same to this day, the area continues to evolve. Today, it offers a diverse range of drinking and dining options, arts and culture, and retail built on craftsmanship, as well as residential and office space.

Found within St James’s are a rich variety of shopping locations, including St James’s Market, Jermyn Street, Piccadilly, Princes Arcade, Piccadilly Arcade and Royal Opera Arcade, as well as an art district in the west of the area. St James’s is one of London’s top shopping destinations, packed with high-end fashion, established

artisans, Royal Warrant holders and food experiences. For over 300 years, St James’s has had a long-established reputation as the home of craftsmanship, quality food and extraordinary art, which continues to evolve thanks to the retailers, restaurants and galleries that call the area home.

inspiring eateries and international cuisine. From the established Quaglino’s to the contemporary St James’s Market – which has a selection of acclaimed international restaurants, including starred Aquavit and world top-100 ranked Ikoyi – all the local eateries and bars offer something different and special.

Fashion and fine art The world-renowned Jermyn Street, the original home of menswear, remains one of the most fashionable and historic streets in London with its collection of quirky independents and high-end brands. In art, St James's contains Christies, the world's oldest fine art auctioneer, which has been located on King Street since 1823. A large number of art galleries are also concentrated in the area, including the White Cube Gallery and the Royal Academy of Arts (RA) with their must-see exhibitions.

Food lovers will not be disappointed either, as St James’s has a plethora of dining options, spanning modern hangouts,

The area is also home to upmarket department store Fortnum & Mason on Piccadilly, which has been offering extraordinary food and unforgettable experiences since 1707. As well as providing the finest produce in its food hall, the store also has restaurants, bars and tea rooms for visitors to enjoy.

For evening entertainment, St James’s also has three of London’s finest theatres – The Theatre Royal Haymarket, Her Majesty’s Theatre and Jermyn Street Theatre – which host some of the capital’s most popular productions, including Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Phantom of the Opera at Her Majesty’s.

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St. James’s Hotel and Club boasts elegant interiors, beautifully furnished bedrooms, a Michelin-starred restaurant, and luxurious suites, some with private balconies. For these reasons, it is easy to understand why St. James’s Hotel and Club is one of the most desirable addresses in London Situated in a quiet cul-de-sac in the heart of Mayfair – just moments from Buckingham Palace, as well as the exclusive shops of Jermyn Street, Burlington Arcade, Bond Street and The Royal Academy of Arts – the hotel is also only a short stroll from the theatres and nightlife of the West End.

Rooms and suites The hotel has 60 bedrooms, and guests can choose from a variety of options, ranging from Superior Rooms to the Terrace Suite. For complete exclusivity, follow in the footsteps of celebrities such as Liza Minnelli, Robert Redford, Cher and Dita Von Teese, and stay in the Penthouse Suite, accessed via a private lift and boasting a spacious 50 sq m roof terrace with panoramic views of London.

Rooms and suites Executive chef William Drabble oversees all aspects of the dining concept at St. James’s Hotel and Club, including Michelin-star restaurant Seven Park Place, William’s Bar and Bistro, afternoon tea, room service and private dining The best local, seasonal British ingredients are at the heart of William’s cooking. With much of his youth being spent surrounded

by farms and lush countryside, it is no surprise that he firmly believes it is important to support British farmers and food suppliers. William's style of cooking is influenced by classic French cuisine, allowing the meticulously sourced local ingredients to speak for themselves.

Seven Park Place by William Drabble was launched in September 2009 and was awarded a Michelin star only one year after opening, as well as four 44 Rosettes.

Contact 7-8 Park Place, St. James's, London, SW1A 1LS Tel: +44 (0) 20 7316 1621 / Email: restaurant@stjameshotelandclub.com

www.stjameshotelandclub.com

EXPERIENCE LONDON

The fine art of bespoke shirt-making Emma Willis MBE talks about her journey to becoming one of the world’s leading bespoke shirt-makers and describes the elements that make a great shirt

How did your career in high-quality shirt-making begin and what were the origins of your business?

I started off in the fine arts side of the creative world, studying at Slade School of Fine Art. After leaving Slade, and to fund my artistic career at the time, I worked for a company that sold clothes, including men's shirts. Soon after, in 1989, I set up my own small company doing the same thing, selling shirts from a wonderful little bespoke shirtmaker in south-east London.

I found there was a real market for beautifully made shirts in beautiful fabrics. I became very interested in how such products are manufactured and came across a Swiss mill with wonderful cottons that I still use today. I visited my customers personally, including travelling to New York and Paris. At that stage, most of my customers came to me through introductions and word of mouth.

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After about 10 years of doing this, I decided it was time to put down roots and find a shop in London. The obvious place was Jermyn Street in St James’s – a pilgrimage to the heart of the bespoke world.

What is the process for being fitted for an Emma Willis shirt?

Our bespoke shirt service can be provided in our Jermyn Street shop or online.

When a customer visits us in person, we take their measurements and discuss the particular fit they would like, as well as their collar size and sleeve length.

After selecting the fabric, an initial shirt is made up for the customer to try, which normally takes about four weeks.

Once the correct fit has been confirmed then the remaining shirts are produced, with a minimum order of four for our bespoke service. Our online bespoke service follows the same process,

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“The quality of the fabric is fundamental to a beautiful shirt and how long it will last, and how it's going to feel when worn”

but our customers provide their own measurements and design details online.

What are the factors that go into making a great shirt?

When we are cutting the patterns in our factory, we send all of our customers a photo of their shirt being cut, with their name written on the pattern, and being sewn as well. This gives the customer a connection with their shirt being made and a truly personalised service. We also keep each customer’s pattern for use in future orders.

Aside from the skills of our shirtmakers, the quality of the fabric is fundamental to a beautiful shirt and how long it will last, and how it's going to feel when worn. We start with a very high-quality raw cotton – most likely Egyptian or West Indian Sea Island. Most of our cotton comes from the Nile Delta, which has a perfect climate and soil, and where they have hundreds of years’ experience of cultivation.

How many people do you have on your team and what is their background?

Our factory is in an 18th-century townhouse in Gloucester, where we have about 20 people on our creative production team, almost all of whom are from the local area. Our top seamstress, Katja, has 35 years’ experience of making bespoke shirts, and she trains all the people who join us. We've trained a lot of young people who are interested in coming into the trade, but haven't had any previous experience in sewing. This ensures we maintain and harness these important shirtmaking skills for the next generation.

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The spinning, weaving and finishing methods of the cotton are also extremely important. A proper finish will ensure there is no shrinkage and a lovely smooth finish.

Neat, tidy stitching is also very important.

We use single-needle stitching on all our seams, rather than the twin-tracked seams that are more associated with mass-produced shirts. Our single-needle stitching takes longer to do, but it creates a very neat seam. We match all our patterns at the seams, so checks, stripes and patterns – even florals – are carefully matched, which takes much more skilful cutting and a lot more time. This makes the finished shirt aesthetically very pleasing.

The collar is the hardest part to make and requires a lot of experience. The collar pattern is very important – I created two patterns many years ago, which we continue to use today.

Both work well with or without a tie, which is so important these days.

We also use real mother-of-pearl buttons, which are very pretty and have a lovely iridescence –with either white or naturally smoked buttons, for the dark shirts. It is this kind of attention to detail that is appreciated and sets our product apart from the standard shirt-making process.

Finally, are there any well-known people we might have seen wearing an Emma Willis shirt?

Among the famous people for whom we’re proud to have made shirts are His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales, James Bond star Daniel Craig and fashion model David Gandy.

Our shirts have also been seen in various movies, being worn by Benedict Cumberbatch, Kenneth Branagh and Colin Firth, for example. It’s fun to see how they're styled, depending on the drama and situation.

Emma Willis 66 Jermyn Street, London SW1Y 6NY Email: sales@emmawillis.com Tel: +44 (0) 20 7930 9980 www.emmawillis.com

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An urban retreat in the heart of London Hotel Café Royal has been an iconic presence at the heart of Regent Street for more than 150 years, and now offers a unique spa experience to global visitors

Opened in 1865, Café Royal was originally a wine store, restaurant and the space for the city’s most illustrious events.

The haunt of famed patrons, from royalty and celebrities to the creative and the notorious, it was an established and iconic landmark on the British capital’s social scene for a century and a half.

In its recent reincarnation as the luxurious Hotel Café Royal, it remains an established favourite for locals, while becoming a global destination.

Located at the heart of Regent Street, with elegant Mayfair to the west and creative Soho to the east, the hotel is perfectly positioned within walking distance of London’s finest shopping streets, tourist attractions and theatreland.

Within the hotel, grand historic areas have been sensitively restored, while 160 guestrooms and suites (including

seven signature suites) have been created in a contemporary, yet refined, style.

Continuing its celebrated legacy of excellent hospitality and dining, the hotel offers a selection of restaurants and bars.

For those seeking some respite from the stresses of everyday life, or simply a special treat, Hotel Café Royal’s award-winning Akasha Holistic Wellbeing offers a range of specialist hydrotherapy treatments that are the first of their kind available in London’s hotels. These unique experiences include Watsu, or water shiatsu, held in an especially designed private Watsu pool, Vichy shower treatments and private Hammam experiences.

An urban retreat in the heart of London, Akasha Holistic Wellbeing leads in its holistic approach to wellbeing by harmoniously uniting the four basic

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variety of disciplines, with each overseen by experienced instructors. Fitness classes at Akasha include calisthenics, bodywork and TRX, alongside a wider offering of holistic courses, such as yoga and Pilates. Gym visitors can enjoy cuttingedge technology, including LifeFitness equipment, personal entertainment centres with 19-inch touch screens and iPad docks, complemented by a ceiling of changing LED lights to enhance and motivate.

For one-on-one sessions and personalised classes, private studios provide calming and relaxing spaces for disciplines ranging from yoga, Pilates and meditation to TRX, boxing and cardio classes.

elements of nature; earth, water, fire and air. All of the hydrotherapy treatments are designed to allow guests valuable time to restore the body’s essential balance, decreasing the effects of stress and allowing the body to return to optimum health.

With nine treatment rooms, including a double treatment suite, Akasha offers a wide variety of signature treatments that marry innovative Western practices with ancient Eastern traditions. The extensive facilities include a private Hammam for purifying scrubs and massages, a Vichy shower for cleansing hydrotherapy rituals, an 18-metre large lap pool, sauna and Jacuzzi. Akasha also boasts London’s first Watsu pool, for tailored hydro-treatments and guided meditation carried out by certified staff.

Akasha is also home to a number of wellness specialists, completing its 360-degree approach to personal wellbeing. Their areas of expertise range from nutrition to intuitive counselling, and Reiki to Watsu.

For those focusing on fitness, Akasha also houses a large and spacious gym area, spanning more than 300 square metres.

Tailored fitness programmes combine a

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After enjoying spa treatments or getting active in the gym, guests can relax in the serenity of Akasha’s lounge bar, which offers a selection of healthy and nourishing dishes. Designed in collaboration with a nutritionist, the Four Elements Menu incorporates ingredients reflecting the four elements upon which the concept of Akasha is built. Herbal teas, cold pressed juices and energising drinks are also served.

A day of rejuvenation and luxury Become immersed in the world of Akasha for a day of complete rejuvenation and luxury. The Akasha Holistic Wellbeing Centre indulges each sense and day spa options include access to the four elements of Akasha; earth, water, fire and air. Guests can enjoy nourishment in the lounge bar, full use of the large lap pool, Jacuzzi, sauna and steam room and gym with leading fitness equipment.

A selection of spa packages is on offer, created to allow visitors to make the most of their time at Akasha, all of which include access to the facilities.

Enjoy a weekday escape packed with award-winning experiences at Hotel Café Royal. Your spa day will include a 90-minute Ultimate Aromatherapy Associates massage or Ultimate Aromatherapy Facial and relax by the pool complete with sauna, Hammam and Jacuzzi. Enjoy the spa facilities, with access for 90 minutes before or after you enjoy a delicious twocourse lunch with champagne.

The Four Elements spa package at Akasha is an immersing full-body

journey designed according to the four elements of nature. Firstly ‘water’ – a therapeutic treatment performed in warm water, whilst being supported by your therapist. This is followed by ‘earth, fire and air’ – a combination of soothing foot massage, restorative heat for your back and a relieving scalp massage.

The Fitness Reset package includes a 60-minute bespoke personal training session with one of Akasha's top personal trainers, using cutting-edge gym facilities. This is followed by a relaxing 90-minute deep-tissue Theragun or Aromatherapy massage to ease any aches and pains. You will also be able to enjoy all the spa facilities and re-boost with a two-course light lunch and an Optimum Nutrition protein shake.

Those who would like to enjoy Akasha Holistic Wellbeing in the company of a loved one or friend can escape the

hustle and bustle of the city together and submerge into pure bliss. Your experience will begin with a relaxing whirlpool bath for two with champagne and a fresh fruit platter, followed by a 60-minute personalised Ultimate Aromatherapy and a 60-minute Aromatherapy Associates facial, all in the privacy of our double treatment suite. Thereafter, you will enjoy full access to all elements of Akasha.

Enjoy an overnight stay Experience the vibrancy of the capital and the serenity of Akasha Holistic Wellbeing with a spa treatment of your choice and an overnight stay at Hotel Café Royal. Luxurious accommodation ranges from Deluxe and Grand Deluxe double guest rooms to a variety of suites, where contemporary style and modern technology are balanced against classic design features to create a sumptuous and peaceful retreat in the heart of the city.

Hotel Café Royal 68 Regent Street London W1B 4DY Tel: +44 (0)20 7406 3333 www.hotelcaferoyal.com

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MAKING THE WORLD A SAFER PL ACE

Global Health Assured is an independent authority built by a team of global experts, combining clinical, safety, operational and marketing acumen. Our aim is to provide a new level of safety and quality assurance to the hospitality, travel and retail sectors, built upon clinical protocols Our mission is to deliver a new, independent standard that can provide safety and quality assurance in the 'new normal'. Our approach is proprietary, independent and built upon best-in-class regulated practices, and supported by environmental health services OUR PROMISE Global Health Assured provides a new standard that begins with a clinical model, rather than a retail or hospitality model. We focus not just on the process efficiency of your cleaning and safety standards, but also the effectiveness of the result.

Certification from Global Health Assured offers peace of mind to management, staff and, most importantly, to your customers.

THE CHALLENGE The COVID-19 pandemic has completely changed our view of the world, the way we interact, our priorities and attitudes. It has decimated industry, and those sectors where proximity is pivotal to the customer journey are in existential crisis.

Retail has just about survived through online, but the hospitality and cultural sector has seen systemic change in the way in which it operates, manages and services its customers. Although the release from

lockdown will be a reversion to a normality of sorts, it will take time to adapt to new customer behaviour.

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EXPERIENCE LONDON

A taste of India in London’s West End Michelin-starred restaurant Veeraswamy has been serving its clientele for almost a century, presenting authentic Indian cuisine in opulent surroundings

Opened in 1926 by Edward Palmer, the great-grandson of an English General, and a north Indian Mughal princess, Faisan Nissa Begum, Veeraswamy is the UK’s oldest Indian restaurant. Soon after opening – on Swallow Street, just off Regent Street, with magnificent views of the iconic street’s curve – the restaurant quickly became a fashionable rendezvous for the establishment.

Among its frequent early visitors were Edward, Prince of Wales, and the King of Denmark, who were drawn not only to Veeraswamy’s remarkable cuisine, but also to its Raj-inspired, opulent interiors.

“One of the key aspects that makes Veeraswamy special is its illustrious history, which we have sought to renew and update,” says Ranjit Mathrani, chairman of the MW Eat Group, owner of Veeraswamy.

“The restaurant has been in the same location for 96 years and was opened on almost the same day as the birth of

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Her Majesty the Queen. There are very few restaurants that have been in the same location for such a length of time.

“Veeraswamy started off very much as an establishment restaurant, serving the aristocracy and ruling classes of Britain.

This included people who, by virtue of their background, had a strong interest in India, such as generals, civil servants and businessmen involved in India. From the outset, the restaurant was serving the very cream of London society.”

Today, Veeraswamy exudes the same extraordinary glamour and rich essence of its legendary past, having been restored to its position as one the leading restaurants serving fine Indian food, with opulent and sumptuous interiors offering a timeless aura of sophistication.

The surroundings reflect the decade in which Veeraswamy opened, when the Maharaja Palaces in northern India

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EXPERIENCE LONDON

“Our cuisine is the classical gourmet food of India, tuned to the tastes of the current century” were influenced by Art Nouveau. The exquisite décor includes silver-clad ceilings and handmade Venetian-style chandeliers, resplendent furnishings such as glorious teak dining tables, and hand-woven carpets, all of which have been expertly crafted in India. Evocative monochrome photographs of the ruling elite of India from the era adorn the walls, along with humorous paintings from the Kalighat School of painters in Bengal.

its contemporary relevance and is not just a museum piece. It’s been a constant evolution that is reflected in everything we do. We finished a refurbishment earlier this year, taking the opportunity to refashion the restaurant, bringing in new furniture and lighting. It is very important when you have a restaurant of the history and heritage of Veeraswamy that people feel there is something new and different that they can experience and enjoy.”

“MW Eat purchased Veeraswamy in 1997, making us the second-longest owners of the restaurant, and during that period we have refurbished on three or four occasions,” explains Mathrani. “Each time, we have ensured that the restaurant retains

Elegant private dining When it comes to private dining, Veeraswamy’s sophisticated Mughalinspired Palmer Room exudes glamour, elegance and exclusivity. The room can comfortably seat up to 22 or, for less-formal events, up to 50 can be accommodated for cocktail-style functions. “The Palmer Room is in great demand because of its romantic and playful décor,” says Mathrani, “with Baccarat chandeliers, flickering candle lights and elegant silk curtains to create a romantic atmosphere.

“We ensure that the history is interwoven with not just the design and the style, but also the cuisine. We’re creating an experience, which is something that people enjoy and appreciate when eating at a fine-dining restaurant of this level. It's not just the food,

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but the ambiance, the service and the totality of what people feel.”

Veeraswamy offers a comprehensive menu of long-established classical dishes, comfort food and contemporary creations, prepared to the highest standard in a modern culinary style. The tastes and flavours from the palaces and gourmet homes of several regions of India are refined and adapted, with spices sourced directly from the best producers in India, combined with the best local ingredients.

A gastronomic tour of India “Our cuisine is the classical gourmet food of India, tuned to the tastes of the current century. In essence, we’ve created a gastronomic tour of the whole of the whole country,” says Mathrani. “It should be remembered that India is the size of Western Europe, with 16 different cuisines.

We have looked to reflect this, so we have nine highly experienced chefs from different regions of India, each cooking their own cuisine, because that is the only

way we can maintain the gastronomic and culinary integrity. We were proud to be awarded a Michelin star in 2016.”

Veeraswamy’s long-standing traditions also extend to its patrons, with generations of the same families revisiting the restaurant for special occasions. “When you think of Veeraswamy as an institution, it has been a place where many people have had their first dining experience, dating back as far as the Second World War,” says Mathrani.

“We often receive emails and messages from people in their eighties who perhaps met their spouse at Veeraswamy and wish to celebrate an anniversary or special occasion – we’ve even hosted a 100th birthday celebration with four generations of the same family present.

We pride ourselves on making such experiences as memorable as possible.

In fact, in four years’ time we will be celebrating our own 100th anniversary at Veeraswamy, which we plan to make a moment of great celebration!”

Veeraswamy Mezzanine floor, Victory House 99 Regent Street London W1B 4RS (entrance on Swallow Street) Email: info@veeraswamy.com Tel: 020 7734 1401 www.veeraswamy.com

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EXPERIENCE LONDON

Building a global cycling community More than a sports clothing brand, Rapha has become the hub for a growing inetrnational cycling faternity

Visitors to London can’t help but notice the popularity of cycling on the city’s streets, as well as further afield as keen cyclists explore the countryside surrounding the capital on weekend rides. The popularity of the sport has grown in the UK in recent years, much of which can be attributed to the legacy of the 2012 Olympic Games in London, as well as the successes of British riders in various championships and showpiece events such as the Tour de France.

For keen cyclists stopping over in the capital, leading cycling brand Rapha provides opportunities for riders to pursue their passion in London, or wherever in the world they are travelling.

The story of Rapha began in London in 2004, when diehard cycling fan Simon Mottram solved the problem of being unable to find stylish cycling wear by setting up his own company to make

the type of clothing that he would want to be seen in. Out went garish fluorescent colours and a plethora of sponsor logos in favour of apparel that was more stylish and understated. Since then, the company’s products have redefined comfort, performance and style for cyclists – from absolute beginners through to WorldTour professionals.

From its earliest days, Rapha has worked with the sport's best athletes – first as title sponsor to the British UCI Continental team Rapha-Condor from 2005-12, then as clothing supplier to Team Sky from 2012-16. Rapha continues to work at the top tiers of professional cycling with the women’s UCI WorldTour team CANYON//SRAM since 2016, and, after publishing a two-year study on the state of the sport titled the Rapha Roadmap, the company has returned to the men’s WorldTour with EF Education First Pro Cycling since 2019.

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EXPERIENCE LONDON

However, Rapha’s contribution to the world of cycling doesn’t end at clothing – its vision is to make road cycling the most popular sport in the world.

This guiding mission defines Rapha’s culture, working environment and the people who work for the company.

In 2012, Rapha’s first-ever Clubhouse was launched in London and instantly became a destination for the capital’s cycling community. The location proved so popular that it was expanded in 2021, relaunching with more retail space, a larger café area, increased stock and dedicated exhibition space.

The London Clubhouse is just around the corner from Regent Street’s iconic curve and located a stone’s throw from Piccadilly Circus on Brewer Street, Soho, and visitors will find screens showing racing throughout the day, as well as the full range of Rapha’s cycling apparel. The Clubhouse is as much a destination for shoppers dropping in for coffee and a bite as it is a meeting place for London’s cyclists, including the London Chapter of the Rapha Cycling Club (RCC).

Born from a love of the sport, the RCC was founded in 2015 to bring cyclists together, and today there are thousands of members worldwide. The original London clubhouse has since been joined by 20 more across Europe, North America and Asia, all of which have become hubs for RCC members and local cyclists.

The RCC is a global community of passionate, active cyclists that enjoys exclusive access to Rapha’s most soughtafter products, experiences and offers.

With thousands of members in city Chapters across the world – and rides, races and events held each week – the RCC is the ultimate way to ride with Rapha.

Members are part of this global community of more than 20,000 like-minded, passionate cyclists who are connected through their love of riding. With an easy-to-use app, members can connect and find hundreds of rides, routes and group chats to get involved with, and stay in the conversation on the membersonly forum. Members can meet at one of 21 Clubhouses around the world, before rolling out on a group ride led by dedicated Ride Leaders. During rides, members can grab a drink at one of Rapha’s Partner Cafes, all conveniently located for a quick coffee stop.

For riders looking to push themselves, there are seasonal challenges and group adventures. Members can even participate from home, with countless virtual rides available to join on Zwift. RCC Summits and Escapes offer fully supported weekends of riding across breathtaking landscapes.

As well as rides, regular social events are listed on the app. Catch up with Clubmates and hear from professional riders, writers, product designers, industry insiders and cycling historians at Clubhouse events.

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