Private Cancer Care in the UK
Largest provider of cancerAbnormal, uncontrolled cell division resulting in a malignant tumour that may invade surrounding tissues or spread to distant parts of the body. care and best equipped hospital outside the NHS
The Wellington Hospital in North London, Britain’s largest private hospital, is to undergo a major expansion to create a new outpatients and cancer centre - the UK’s largest such centre in the independent sector.
Work is now underway on the £22 million redevelopment programme which will create the new Platinum Medical Centre providing a range of outpatient and day case diagnostics and procedures including a new one stop oncology service. The new oncology centre will focus mainly on gastro intestinalrelating to the intestines, the digestive tract between the stomach and the anus cancers, together with liverA large abdominal organ that has many important roles including the production of bile and clotting factors, detoxification, and the metabolism of proteins, carbohydrates and fats. cancer, head and neck cancers and gynaecological cancers. In addition, there will also be a new breast care service based in the medical centre.
For several decades, The Wellington has had an international reputation for its intra-cranial cancer surgery in addition to its cardiac services and neuro rehabilitationThe treatment of a person with an illness or disability to improve their function and health.. But for almost 20 years, cancer patients undergoing chemotherapyThe use of chemical substances to treat disease, particularly cancer. have been treated elsewhere. But now the new cancer centre will be on the ground floor and include a ten bedded chemotherapy ward.
The Platinum Medical Centre in Lodge Road, St John’s Wood, will have a comprehensive diagnostic and imaging unit with the latest CTThe abbreviation for computed tomography, a scan that generates a series of cross-sectional x-ray images, MRIAn abbreviation for magnetic resonance imaging, a technique for imaging the body that uses electromagnetic waves and a strong magnetic field., X-rayA type of electromagnetic radiation used to produce images of the body., ultrasoundA diagnostic method in which very high frequency sound waves are passed into the body and the reflective echoes analysed to build a picture of the internal organs – or of the foetus in the uterus. and other new diagnostic technology. The five storey building will have four operating theatres and 50 consulting rooms.
Outpatient clinics currently held in the main Wellington building will move to the new centre which it is hoped will be completed by October of next year. The move will create more space allowing the main hospital to meet the increasing demand for complex tertiary medicine for which the hospital has an international reputation. The Wellington already has two Intensive Care Units with 25 level three ITU beds – several of which can be isolation units. As the new building is completed, the Wellington South building will have its 10 bed ITU rebuilt and reconfigured. In all The Wellington will then have 50 level two and three critical care beds, more than any other independent hospital in the UK.
The hospital’s Chief Executive Keith Hague said: “The new building will also enable us to introduce new cancer and breast care services. We will move all outpatient services to the new building and that will free up space for yet more expansion of our complex tertiary services,” said Mr Hague. “We have expanded our critical care facilities twice in the past three years but we cannot keep up with demand at present. This is partly due to our international reputation for complex treatments including neurosurgery, inter-cranial surgery, cardiac procedures, complex orthopaedic surgery and neuro rehabilitation”.
