On Tuesday (23 March 2021), doorsteps around the UK were lit up with candles to mark one year since the first lockdown began in March 2020.
Meanwhile, independent hospitals, including The London Clinic, are also commemorating another important milestone – the one-year anniversary of our historic partnership with the NHS in tackling the COVID-19 pandemic.
Over the past year, the independent sector has worked shoulder to shoulder with the NHS, collectively delivering over three million operations, chemo sessions, scans, tests and consultations for NHS patients, according to a new report published by the Independent Healthcare Providers Network (IHPN).
The report, published by the body representing independent healthcare providers, explores the key achievements and inspiring collaborations that have sprung from this partnership, including at The London Clinic.
Our hospital has delivered more than 1,650 inpatient/day case episodes for NHS patients, in addition to a similar number of surgeries. We have conducted nearly 1,000 MRI/CT and breast scans, along with 18,300 pathology tests.
We have supported the NHS with the delivery of urgent and complex care, including robotic prostatectomies using our new da Vinci Xi robot; urgent cancer surgery in adrenal cancer, gynaecological, hepato-pancreato-biliary (HPB) and colorectal; live renal transplants; bone marrow stem cell transplants; vascular surgery; and endoscopies.
We granted temporary practising privileges to nearly 70 junior doctors and more than 130 NHS consultants from the Royal Free Hospital, UCLH and London North West University Hospital. This allowed them to carry out urgent NHS work at The London Clinic.
Theresa Murphy, Director of Nursing/Matron at The London Clinic at the time of publication, said: “The clinical teamwork that has supported treating NHS patients at The London Clinic has been inspiring.
"Delivering complex clinical care and treatment during the pandemic has seen The London Clinic and NHS colleagues work together for the single common goal of providing patient-focused care as one team.”
Komal Whittaker-Axon, Managing Director of the North East London Cancer Alliance, said: “Teams from NHS providers Barts Health and St. Mark’s Hospital have been working seamlessly with The London Clinic so we can continue to treat our local people.
“The London Clinic has been fantastic in supporting our complex work including treating gynaecological cancers, HPB, interventional radiology and complex colorectal. This collaboration has meant we can keep our cancer services running, giving our patients the care and treatment they so urgently need."
We are tremendously proud to be a partner to the NHS throughout this pandemic. As the NHS continues its impressive roll-out of the vaccine, we are hopeful of a brighter future on the horizon.