WINTER ISSUE AT THE FOREFRONT OF RESPIRATORY CARE INNOVATION AT THE TRUST NEW FACILITIES IMPROVE PATIENT EXPERIENCE

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1 WINTER ISSUE AT THE FOREFRONT OF RESPIRATORY CARE INNOVATION AT THE TRUST NEW FACILITIES IMPROVE PATIENT EXPERIENCE

2 WELCOME: TRACEY HOWSON Head of operations Our ability to collaborate with expert colleagues throughout Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust provides an opportunity for private patients to benefit from world-class specialist care. I look forward to finding ways for us to work innovatively to ensure private patients get this world-class medical care in a five-star hotel environment. This publication is produced by the communications directorate at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust. For feedback, suggestions or further information regarding this publication, please contact the editor: Julia Elmer +44 (0) julia.elmer@imperial.nhs.uk Our drive to continually find new and better ways of doing things, along with the co-location of our private units within large NHS teaching hospitals, allows us to attract patients from around the UK and overseas ultimately generating income for the whole Trust. We can always do more, however, and as head of operations, I look forward to finding ways for us to work innovatively to ensure private patients get this world-class medical care in a five-star hotel environment. This issue of Inside Private Health highlights our continued focus on shaping the future of healthcare. Page 5 highlights the Trust s long history for breaking new ground stretching back to the 19th century and the first human ECG. Today, we are still producing medical firsts from robotic surgery and pioneering drugs to the use of stem cells to improve stroke symptoms. We also feature Dr Sarah Blagden, one of our oncologists, whose scientific background and ongoing research particularly into fruit fly genetics is helping us develop cutting-edge approaches for cancer patients. Our respiratory and endoscopy units are at the forefront of their fields. Our respiratory unit is an NHS England specialised service because of its high standards of care, the complexity of services offered and extensive research and clinical trials (pages 6 7). And our new endoscopy unit opened recently, with larger, more modern facilities and the latest equipment to allow our consultants to provide a comprehensive range of services (pages 8 9). Both of these units are set up to ensure our diagnostic processes are efficient and provide the most accurate diagnosis possible. Finally, our article on page 10 introduces a new operations team I am heading to deliver service improvements across our private healthcare facilities. Working with my colleague, Louise McCarthy, I will be ensuring all our sites provide smooth, consistent and outstanding care for patients. Tracey Howson 2 INSIDE PRIVATE HEALTH WINTER ISSUE

3 NEWS: IN BRIEF New lead nurses to strengthen delivery of high-quality care Imperial Private Healthcare has appointed Kate Gardiner as lead nurse for Charing Cross and Hammersmith hospitals, and Michelle Duggan-Brennan in the same role at the Lindo Wing of St Mary s Hospital. In their new roles, they will lead the matrons and nursing teams, supporting them in delivering safe, effective and highquality patient care and experience. Kate Gardiner joined Imperial Private Healthcare in 2014 with more than 17 years of nursing experience, including 10 in private practice at a prestigious cancer hospital. Outstanding urological surgery team wins top award The Trust s urological surgery team outperformed 20 competitors to win this year s Cancer Research Excellence in Surgical Trials (CREST) award from the National Institute for Health Research Cancer (NIHR CRN). The team was recognised for its leadership, impressive recruitment metrics, portfolio depth and breadth, and multidisciplinary approach. Richard Shaw from NIHR CRN described the team as the model of how we hope surgical teams will be embedded in cancer research. The prize includes funding towards professional development. Jill Kitching New appointment to support employees education and training needs Jill Kitching has been appointed clinical practice educator to promote further education programmes for staff across all Imperial Private Healthcare sites. She will encourage development within the clinical setting and through life-long learning, so that staff are better supported and trained to continually improve patient care. Jill has had a range of roles within the NHS and private sector, including outpatient manager within a new hospital, clinical lead and patient services manager within private healthcare organisations, governance lead and modern matron. Kate Gardiner Michelle Duggan-Brennan Her knowledge of oncology has given her an excellent understanding of how to care for patients with complex and long-standing conditions, which is relevant to many of the services provided at Charing Cross and Hammersmith hospitals. Michelle Duggan-Brennan has spent much of her career within the Trust firstly as an asthma and allergy specialist, then within emergency services, and most recently as modern matron for general services within Imperial Private Healthcare. In 2014, she graduated from the University of West London with an MSc in Health and Social Care Leadership. Imperial Private Healthcare has now launched a brand new website: CONTENTS: NEWS IN BRIEF 3 IN THE SPOTLIGHT 4 LEADING THE WAY IN INNOVATION 5 AT THE FOREFRONT OF RESPIRATORY CARE 6 NEW ENDOSCOPY UNIT BROADENS RANGE OF SERVICES 8 A COMMON VISION FOR OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE 10 HOW TO FIND US 11 INSIDE PRIVATE HEALTH WINTER ISSUE 3

4 IN THE SPOTLIGHT: DR SARAH BLAGDEN The Trust s consultant medical oncologist explains how her research programme is helping evolve cancer treatment within the Trust. Consultant medical oncologist and senior lecturer, Dr Sarah Blagden, was awarded the Fellowship of the Royal College of Physicians in 2010 Fruit flies might not seem obvious aids to medical research, but for Dr Sarah Blagden, they were vital to launching her cancer research work. Dr Blagden gained a PhD in fruit fly genetics from Cambridge University and trained at the Royal Marsden within its cancer drug development (phase 1) unit. She joined Imperial Private Healthcare in 2006 and set up a laboratory to study the fruit fly gene LARP1. Also present in humans, the LARP1 gene plays a critical role in cancer research. Fruit flies have about a 40 per cent similar complement of genes to humans, and often a purer make-up, she explains. Humans may have three genes to carry out a function, but fruit flies might have one gene for all three functions. By studying fruit flies, you get an important understanding of what a family of genes does and how they can be modified. 4 INSIDE PRIVATE HEALTH WINTER ISSUE In our case, the fruit fly research accelerated our understanding of LARP1. While we are still some way from turning this into a cancer treatment, the results so far are promising. Cutting-edge treatment and support Dr Blagden joined the Trust because of its comprehensive and influential gynaecological cancer treatment. We have excellent imaging and radiology services, amazing nursing care and cutting-edge surgery. I support the ethos of our surgeons, who try to remove all of a patient s tumour even if the operation takes longer or is more complex. Also a senior lecturer, Dr Blagden principally treats gynaecological cancers. She oversees a number of clinical trials and has helped pilot a cancer survivorship clinic. We aim to support patients, not only while they are having chemotherapy but also afterwards, says Dr Blagden. We screen women for side effects from therapy and see what symptoms are treatable. We launched the clinic for gynaecological patients over a year ago and I hope we can eventually roll it out for all cancer patients. Scientific expertise Cancer research is rapidly evolving. As clinician scientists, Dr Blagden and her colleague Professor Gabra s scientific discoveries are informing new studies for gynaecological cancer. In addition, Hammersmith and Charing Cross hospitals have experts from a range of cancer specialties. If my patients tumours aren t responding to treatment, for instance, I know which colleagues are developing the latest techniques. The oncology unit is embedded in the Trust s academic centre, which means I can draw on expertise from all around. This means our patients can get the best of the best. If you have any questions about the cancer services at Imperial Private Healthcare, get in touch with our customer relations manager on +44 (0)

5 LEADING THE WAY IN Within the Trust, INNOVATION innovation is all around and moving quickly from research to a clinical setting. Steve Jobs once said that innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower. That is certainly true at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, where an ongoing research programme gives consultants a global reputation as pioneers in their field. Patients at Imperial Private Healthcare benefit from the Trust s firm commitment to research. In 2009, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust and Imperial College London formed the first of only six academic health science centres (AHSC) in the UK, to lead cutting-edge trials and laboratory research to improve health outcomes. That ethos of collaboration is what makes our academic organisation so strong, says Jonathan Weber, director of Imperial College Academic Health Science Centre. We run ground-breaking laboratory research and clinical work in parallel, so that patients quickly benefit from our discoveries. First for innovation Among many notable successes, in 2013 Trust patients with arrhythmia were the first in the world to use the Cardioinsight multi-elec trode electrocardiogram (ECG) vest. It uses 252 electrodes (typical EGCs have just 10) to build a 3D image of the heart that allows cardiologists to quickly and precisely locate sources of irregular or extra heartbeats. The Trust also obtained one of the world s first surgical robots in 2001, for use by both NHS and private patients. The Trust s surgeons researched the technology s capabilities, and subsequently established the UK s first robotic prostate removal programme, and carried out the UK s first robotic gastric bypass and scarless neck surgery. At St Mary s Hospital, the Imperial Clinical Phenome Centre, which uses state-of-the-art technology to analyse the chemical make-up of tissue or body fluid samples, developed an intelligent knife that can tell if the tissue it is cutting is cancerous. During the first study in 2013, the iknife diagnosed tissue samples from 91 patients with 100 per cent accuracy, instantly speeding up the results from previous laboratory testing. A BRIEF HISTORY: MILESTONES AT THE TRUST S HOSPITALS Dr Alexander Fleming discovers penicillin at St Mary s Hospital The world s first heart-lung machine is used during heart surgery at Hammersmith Hospital Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, along with their academic partner Imperial College London becomes one of the UK s first academic health science centres The UK s first heart attack centre opens at Hammersmith Hospital offering 24/7 emergency treatment of heart attacks Robotic surgery is used in a world first to remove fibroids 2014 Intuitive Surgical, Inc. All people depicted unless otherwise noted are models INSIDE PRIVATE HEALTH WINTER ISSUE 5

6 AT THE FOREFRONT OF RESPIRATORY CARE In just a few years, the Trust s lung fibrosis unit has gone from a small team to an NHS England-certified specialised service, highlighting the breadth of its expertise and diagnostic offering. We can be among the first to offer new treatments that may not be available in all units. When Dr Melissa Wickremasinghe set up the Trust s lung fibrosis unit from scratch in 2009 she did not expect it to achieve national recognition in such a short space of time. The lung fibrosis unit has been commissioned as one of NHS England s specialised services. I m really pleased, says Dr Wickremasinghe. The accreditation demonstrates that we operate to a very high standard of care, and also that we meet other specifications relating to our facilities, the type and complexity of our services, our diagnostic offering and the fact that we carry out clinical trials. Perhaps the most significant advantage is that the unit can prescribe new and complex drugs. Our patients don t just get rapid and accurate diagnosis and a tailormade, cutting-edge treatment plan, she says. Because we are a designated specialised service, we can be among the first to offer new treatments that may not be available in all units. 6 INSIDE PRIVATE HEALTH WINTER ISSUE

7 A number of new treatments have emerged in the past couple of years, and we can offer those because we are a designated commissioned specialised service. Dr Melissa Wickremasinghe Specialist research Dr Wickremasinghe is the Trust lead for interstitial lung diseases and sarcoidosis (scarring of the lungs) and a subspecialist in sarcoidosis and lung fibrosis. Some conditions are more treatable than others, says Dr Wickremasinghe. There s particular anxiety around idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). It can have a life expectancy on a level with some cancers, but new drugs have recently been issued that can stabilise the disease. We do clinical research in tuberculosis and have a large sarcoid research group at Imperial College, London. We re currently studying tissues to find out more about the causes of sarcoid, and to see if we can diagnose and assess disease activity with novel tests. Multidisciplinary knowledge As well as seeing increasing patient numbers, the unit is also developing more and more relationships with regional referral centres in district general hospitals, meaning more patients are being referred to Imperial Private Healthcare from this outside network. Dr Wickremasinghe carries out stateof-the-art diagnostics and creates the treatment plan. The referral centres network then feeds into multidisciplinary meetings to establish the most appropriate care path for each patient. That input is a vital part of the service for diagnosis, she says. All patients get the viewpoint of a rheumatologist and often a pulmonary hypertension expert as at this trust we are fortunate to have one of the few national pulmonary hypertension centres in the UK. I can also call on specialist lung function and pathological experts. Dr Sue Copley is a fabulous radiologist, who is an academic with international expertise in interstitial lung disease. That s the nuance of Imperial Private Healthcare broad and high-level expertise within one organisation. ABOUT THE TEAM Dr Melissa Wickremasinghe is the Trust lead for interstitial lung diseases and sarcosis, but sees patients with all respiratory conditions, including asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, bronchiectasis and allergies, and performs interventional bronchoscopies. The respiratory unit runs a weekly tuberculosis clinic. It is a also regional referral centre for sampling lymph nodes from the thorax (EBUS) which both Dr Wickremasinghe and Dr Onn Min Kon perform, with Dr Min Kon as the lead on this technique. A fibre-optic broncosope is inserted into the breathing tube, and an internal ultrasound looks for samples in the chest. Respiratory physician Dr Sarah Elkin leads on lung cancer and specialises in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. A senior respiratory physiotherapist, Corrine Ward, runs both the private pulmonary rehabilation programme and the breathlessness clinic. The unit, which includes other specialist consultants, sees patients from around the UK and further afield, with international patients from Kenya, Middle East and Sri Lanka. To enquire about our respiratory unit please private.healthcare@imperial.nhs.uk INSIDE PRIVATE HEALTH WINTER ISSUE 7

8 NEW ENDOSCOPY UNIT BROADENS RANGE OF SERVICES New, modern rooms and the latest equipment are improving patient experience and enabling the Trust to expand its endoscopy services. 8 INSIDE PRIVATE HEALTH WINTER ISSUE

9 The unit has been designed by clinical teams with the aim of making the patient journey as easy as possible. Dr Horace Williams A new and spacious endoscopy unit at St Mary s Hospital is providing a comfortable and smoother treatment path for patients with gastrointestinal problems. The Trust s high-tech facility has opened on the second floor of the Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother building (QEQM). The new unit includes more endoscopy rooms, larger pre-assessment rooms and enhanced recovery facilities. Updated equipment provides better scoping and enhanced resolution images. More services available These changes mean the team can carry out the full range of services, such as x-ray screenings and procedures that require general anaesthetic. We can now carry out procedures under general anaesthetic within the unit, rather than relocating to a theatre, says Dr Jonathan Hoare, consultant gastroenterologist and clinical lead for the endoscopy unit. Now, our rooms have the right space and equipment, meaning improved outcomes and a greater variety of possible procedures. Dr Horace Williams, consultant gastroenterologist, says the new layout streamlines the entire diagnostic and treatment experience: The unit has been designed by clinical teams with the aim of making the patient journey as easy as possible. It s extremely helpful to our work to have a facility where everything has been specifically laid out to support our procedures and processes. The new technology is the most modern available. We can see things in the gastrointestinal tract with greater clarity. World-class care in a relaxed setting The new unit is a more pleasant environment from the added privacy of separate male and female pathways, to artwork by Julian Opie bought especially for the unit by the Imperial College Healthcare Charity. Our environment is much more suitable for carrying out acute modern medicine on private patients, says Dr Hoare. And we can work even closer with teams such as radiology or surgery, because we are physically closer to them. With increased space, the team has the capacity to care for about 25 per cent more patients. The extra space also facilitates the care of obese patients, who make up a significant proportion of those seen at the unit. Fully accredited by the Joint Advisory Group (JAG) on GI Endoscopy, the new unit strengthens the team s already considerable expertise in upper and lower gastrointestinal endoscopy. The clinical care and our outcomes have always been excellent, concludes Jonathan, but now the environment matches the quality of the people doing the work. A lot of other private hospitals can only do simple diagnostic procedures anything complicated is referred elsewhere. Our patients can be confident that any endoscopic service can be carried out in a comfortable environment to a high standard. To find out more about our gastroenterology service, please private.healthcare@imperial.nhs.uk INSIDE PRIVATE HEALTH WINTER ISSUE 9

10 A COMMON VISION FOR OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE The senior management team has been restructured to ensure consistent levels of service and standards across Imperial Private Healthcare. Our patients enjoy all the medical benefits of being treated within a large NHS teaching hospital, while staying in the comfort of a modern five-star hotel environment. Tracey Howson Changes to Imperial Private Healthcare s operations are underway to give patients the best experience possible. A new senior management team is overseeing service redesign and development at Hammersmith, Charing Cross and St Mary s hospitals. Previously, each site was managed locally. The new cross-site approach will streamline administrative procedures and standardise processes, improving service standards across the three sites. With more than 32 years combined experience of working in private healthcare, head of operations, Tracey Howson and head of programmes, Louise McCarthy are managing operational performance. They are supported by a wider team in roles covering administration, hotel services and facilities management. Our patients enjoy all the medical benefits of being treated within a large NHS teaching hospital, while staying in the comfort of a modern five-star hotel environment, says Tracey. We want to be confident that every private patient who walks into one of our units feels this way, and experiences a smooth process and easy access to our services. A seamless treatment path An ongoing programme of facility and service improvement projects will establish a set of common standards across all sites in line with private patient s expectations. For example, work is underway to develop a centralised booking process for new referrals which will improve access for patients and staff. Our work will give better access to support services such as imaging or endoscopies, says Louise. The improvements should create a seamless and professional treatment path. We re also working with a new hotel services provider to improve patient experience, including better menus and enhanced wi-fi. We will be working with all stakeholders, adds Tracey. We will share and learn from best practice and review patients feedback as we strive for continuous improvement. If you have any ideas or suggestions for service improvements, tracey.howson@imperial.nhs.uk or louise.mccarthy@imperial.nhs.uk 10 INSIDE PRIVATE HEALTH WINTER ISSUE

11 HOW TO FIND US Queen Charlotte s & Chelsea Hospital Hammersmith Hospital EAST ACTON D U C A N E R O A D A40 W E S T W A Y A 4 0 St Mary s Hospital PADDINGTON A41 LEADING TO THE M1 EDGWARE ROAD MARYLEBONE A501 P R A E D S T R E E T S S E X G A R D E N S MARBLE ARCH A41 Western Eye Hospital BAKER STREET M A R Y L E B O N E R O A D A501 TOWARDS LONDON CITY AIRPORT S U A40 LEADING TO THE M40 H Y D E P A R K A219 A4 A4 LEADING TO THE M4 & HEATHROW AIRPORT HAMMERSMITH A4 A4 F U L H A M P A L A C E R O A D BARON S COURT Charing Cross Hospital R I V E R T H A M E S Tel: +44 (0) private.healthcare@imperial.nhs.uk THE LINDO WING OF ST MARY S Lindo Wing, St Mary s Hospital, Praed Street, London W2 1NY CHARING CROSS Thames View, 15th Floor, Charing Cross Hospital, Fulham Palace Road, London W6 8RF WESTERN EYE Western Eye Hospital, Marylebone Road, London NW1 5QH HAMMERSMITH Robert & Lisa Sainsbury Wing, Hammersmith Hospital, Du Cane Road, London W12 0HS QUEEN CHARLOTTE S & CHELSEA Sir Stanley Clayton Ward, Queen Charlotte s & Chelsea Hospital, Du Cane Road, London W12 0HS INSIDE PRIVATE HEALTH WINTER ISSUE 11

12 EXPERIENCE WORLD CLASS CARE At Imperial Private Healthcare, our patients experience the best of both worlds modern private facilities providing world-class consultant-led care in the reassuring setting of some of London s most trusted NHS hospitals. With over 350 consultants covering every medical, diagnostic and surgical specialty, we care for our patients whatever their healthcare needs. Our partnership with Imperial College London means that many of our consultants are involved in cutting-edge research, to provide the most up-to-date treatment for patients. As well as offering all the benefits of private healthcare, all our profits are reinvested to support our NHS services. So choosing to have treatment with us in turn benefits many more patients in the community. For more information on our private healthcare services please contact our customer relations manager on: Tel: +44 (0) ( GMT) or private.healthcare@imperial.nhs.uk For information on our consultants please visit