Private Care SPRING 2022
A CULTURE OF INNOVATION Dr Naureen Starling’s pioneering work in gastrointestinal cancers How we support patients’ mental wellbeing
SPRING 2022
CAVENDISH SQUARE’S FIRST YEAR*
THE FACTS
812 CT scans performed
WELCOME As the Managing Director of Private Care at The Royal Marsden, I’m pleased to introduce the latest issue of Private Care magazine. In this issue, we explore how advances in targeted treatments have allowed our Neurooncology Unit to treat even more patients with secondary disease in the brain. With two CyberKnife machines, which were funded by The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity, our specialists can perform stereotactic radiosurgery on some 400 such patients a year. This is one reason why we and our partners achieved Tessa Jowell Centre of Excellence status last year. Dr Naureen Starling, one of our Consultant Medical Oncologists, talks in this issue about the culture of innovation in our internationally renowned Gastrointestinal Unit. She also explains how weekly multidisciplinary team meetings are used to develop and review individual treatment plans. The links between mental and physical health have moved up the health policy agenda over recent years. We’re sure you’ll find the article on the psychological support we provide for our patients and their families informative. I do hope you enjoy this issue. Shams Maladwala Managing Director of Private Care
525
ultrasound scans carried out
1,194 chemotherapy attendances
35 different patient nationalities
600
MRI scans delivered
FIND OUT MORE
For referrals and enquiries, call +44 (0)20 7811 8111 or email privatepatients@rmh.nhs.uk * Figures for period from May 2021 to January 2022
ON THE COVER Dr Naureen Starling, Consultant Medical Oncologist
2 Private Care magazine
Some photographs in this issue were taken prior to the COVID-19 pandemic and may not reflect current social distancing and PPE guidelines
U P DAT E
A YEAR AT CAVENDISH SQUARE THIS SPRING, The Royal Marsden Private Care marks the first anniversary of the opening of its diagnostic, outpatient and treatment facility in Cavendish Square, central London. Minutes from Harley Street, the centre is now an established presence in its listed Edwardian building, and offers UK and overseas patients rapid test turnaround times and access to a full range of cancer services.
In the state-of-the-art diagnostic imaging suite, our experts can identify cancers earlier across all main tumour types. Other facilities include a minor procedure suite and a medical day unit with bespoke bays for patients receiving some of the most advanced cancer treatments. Shams Maladwala, Managing Director of The Royal Marsden Private Care, said: “Over the past
ONLY THE VERY BEST Cavendish Square offers first-class facilities
12 months, 1,370 patients have benefited from the brand-new facilities, safe in the knowledge that everything in the centre is underpinned by The Royal Marsden’s world-leading standards of cancer care. “Patients seeking the very best private cancer diagnostics and treatment know that we operate to the strictest safety standards and governance usually only seen in the NHS.”
TALKING POINTS “Survival of brain metastases can now be measured in years rather than months”
Page 6
“These are bold, ambitious targets, but we desperately need to reduce the health sector’s carbon footprint” Page 9
“It’s not only your body going through the treatment – it’s your whole self” Page 12
“There have been some significant breakthroughs in precision treatments and immunotherapy for GI patients” Page 15
For referrals and enquiries, call +44 (0)20 7811 8111 or email privatepatients@rmh.nhs.uk
3
IN BRIEF AI study The Royal Marsden has launched a study to detect complications from cancer earlier using artificial intelligence (AI), following a UK-first partnership with Imagia. Using Imagia’s AI platform, researchers will analyse the scans of 14,000 cancer patients to test and train a computer algorithm with the aim of saving and improving patients’ lives.
A MAJOR STEP Dr Katharine Aitken hailed the approval of SABR for pancreatic cancer patients
Digital CBT trial
A study trialling a digital self-help tool to aid men who are experiencing negative side effects of prostate cancer treatment is under way at The Royal Marsden. The MANCAN2 trial is investigating whether virtual cognitive behavioural therapy reduces symptoms of hot flushes and night sweats in men with prostate cancer who receive hormone therapy treatment.
Veteran Aware The Royal Marsden has won accreditation as a Veteran Aware NHS trust. This award by the Veterans Covenant Healthcare Alliance recognises our commitment to supporting staff and patients who are serving, or have served, in the UK’s armed forces. We ensure that members of the armed forces community are never disadvantaged when receiving care, and that our staff are trained in veteran-specific needs.
4 Private Care magazine
TARGETED THERAPY FOR MORE PATIENTS PANCREATIC CANCER PATIENTS will have access to targeted radiotherapy following approval in England – thanks to an application co-led by The Royal Marsden. NHS patients with suitable locally advanced, inoperable, non-metastatic pancreatic carcinoma (LANPC) will be eligible for stereotactic ablative body radiotherapy (SABR) as an alternative to conventional chemoradiation. The Royal Marsden’s SABR programme has been running since 2011 and is equipped with two CyberKnife machines, as well as an MR Linac. SABR is a highly targeted form of radiotherapy that delivers multiple radiation beams from different angles
at the same time. It is delivered in fewer treatment sessions than conventional radiotherapy: patients with LANPC are given five treatments over two weeks, instead of a typical course of 28-30 daily treatments over six weeks. Dr Katharine Aitken, Consultant Clinical Oncologist, said: “The key benefit of SABR is that it enables patients to have radiation over a much shorter period of time, due to the highly targeted way it is given. “Reducing the number of hospital visits is hugely beneficial for patients who will have already spent time regularly attending the hospital for chemotherapy, giving them more time to spend with their families.”
U P DAT E
IN-HOUSE LIQUID BIOPSY TESTING ON THE HORIZON
HIGHLY CITED (Clockwise from right) Professors James Larkin, Johann de Bono, Kevin Harrington, Nicholas Turner and David Cunningham
Experts join world’s most influential researchers ROYAL MARSDEN CONSULTANTS have been named in a list of the world’s most influential researchers over the past decade. Professors David Cunningham, James Larkin, Nicholas Turner, Johann de Bono and Kevin Harrington, as well as the recently retired Professor Mitch Dowsett, featured in the latest Highly Cited Researchers list published by science analytics company Clarivate.
The list considers how often an academic paper is cited by other published papers as a measure of a researcher’s influence within their chosen field. Professor Cunningham, Director of Clinical Research, said: “This is a testament to the breadth of research carried out at The Royal Marsden that benefits our patients and those worldwide.”
The Royal Marsden is to set up a state-of-the-art facility for testing liquid biopsies, thanks to a partnership with precision oncology company Guardant Health. Liquid biopsies detect DNA shed by cancers into the blood and can provide the genetic profile of the tumour, helping us to personalise treatments for patients. The facility will speed up the turnaround time for testing liquid biopsies and increase the hospital’s capacity and scope for research using these tests. Professor Michael Hubank, Director of Clinical Genomics, said: “This facility will provide many of our patients with more rapid access to bespoke diagnostic testing, leading to earlier, faster and more accurate diagnosis, along with targeted treatment selection and monitoring. “It will also help us identify more people with cancer for clinical trials based on targeted treatments, improving outcomes for patients across the UK and beyond.”
For referrals and enquiries, call +44 (0)20 7811 8111 or email privatepatients@rmh.nhs.uk
5
A BETTER OUTLOOK Our Neuro-oncology Unit is treating more patients than ever before and offers a range of clinical trials, pioneering radiation treatment and advanced imaging techniques ADVANCES IN IMMUNOTHERAPY and other targeted treatments in the past decade have hugely improved the long-term survival prospects for patients with cancers that can spread to the brain, including breast, melanoma and lung cancers. The Royal Marsden’s Neurooncology Unit is treating more and more patients who experience secondary disease in the brain – or brain metastases – with stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS). We are the referral centre for 15 NHS trusts in southwest London and the southeast of England, so six in 10 of our patients come from other trusts. Our two CyberKnife machines, funded by The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity, have been pivotal in delivering SRS treatment. With one CyberKnife in Chelsea and another in Sutton, we are now one
6 Private Care magazine
of the largest SRS services in the country, treating 400 patients a year. Living longer Dr Nicola Rosenfelder, Consultant Clinical Oncologist, explains that patients are living longer with cancer, so more are developing brain metastases – and greater access to MRI scanning means more are diagnosed earlier. “Important advances in treatment precision enable us to use higher radiation doses in fewer sessions to deliver more effective treatment with few or no side effects, allowing patients to get back to living normal lives quickly,” she says. “Just a few years ago, the life expectancy for patients with brain metastases would have been a few months and the treatment had significant side effects. With these
improvements, survival can now be measured in years, with excellent quality of life. “SRS is so precise that we can safely treat many small metastases in one session and can also repeat treatments if needed.” The unit’s work in treating primary tumours has also expanded. There
NEURO-ONCOLOGY
NEURO TEAM Dr Nicola Rosenfelder (left) and Dr Liam Welsh (below left); CyberKnife is central to our brain cancer treatment programme (far left)
is a focus on increasing the number of clinical trials and establishing a brain tumour biobank to enhance research into new treatments. We were also the first trust in the UK to use Brainlab technology for patients undergoing MRI scans to help us identify precisely how radiotherapy is affecting the brain. Centre of excellence This breadth of treatment options and collaborative work helped us to secure the Tessa Jowell Centre of Excellence status last year, in partnership with St George’s University Hospital and Royal Surrey County Hospital. We were one of only nine centres in the UK to receive this recognition. Dr Liam Welsh, Head of the Neuro-oncology Unit, says: “For
“We can treat many small metastases in one session”
patients with tumours such as glioblastoma, the risk of recurrence in the first year is common. We now routinely use molecular profiling to see if there is a suitable targeted treatment available on one of our clinical trials.” Consultant Medical Oncologist Dr Juanita Lopez has been instrumental in recruiting patients to early-phase trials, including the trial of the drug lisavanbulin in the Oak Foundation Drug Development Unit, which could lead to the first-ever targeted brain cancer treatment. “We were the lead recruiter for glioblastoma patients with FGFR mutations in the RAGNAR study of the drug erdafitinib, and we are opening the INDIGO trial of vorasidenib, which could transform treatment for patients with IDH mutations,” adds Dr Welsh. “We also have another trial due to open for newly diagnosed glioma patients that could replace first-line chemotherapy treatment for these patients in the future.”
DARRELL McDONALD Patient, 41 “In June 2020, I was diagnosed with a sarcoma in my neck, which had spread to my lungs. After having chemotherapy, I started experiencing some clumsiness and was given a brain MRI, which confirmed I also had a couple of metastases in my brain. “I was referred to Dr Nicola Rosenfelder, who explained that I would need radiosurgery using the CyberKnife. It was possibly the most straightforward of all my cancer treatments and I had a great response. “When the symptoms came back much worse at Christmas, I had whole-brain radiotherapy and again had a good response. I am now starting chemotherapy for my primary tumour. “I know my cancer is incurable, but I have the mindset that if I keep going as I am, there may well be a breakthrough for me.”
For referrals and enquiries, call +44 (0)20 7811 8111 or email privatepatients@rmh.nhs.uk
7
The future is green Our Green Plan sets out The Royal Marsden’s strategy to reduce our carbon emissions and support the NHS’s ambition to become the first net-zero health service in the world
8 Private Care magazine
GREEN PLAN
IN 2020, NHS England committed to becoming the world’s first net-zero national health service, setting out how, as the UK’s single biggest organisation, it aims to reduce its carbon emissions to zero by 2040 – a decade ahead of the 2050 target set by the British government. At The Royal Marsden, we have launched our Green Plan, which puts forward the measures we will take to support this ambitious goal. “It’s a live document, which we’re constantly updating,” says Sunil Vyas, Director of Projects and Estates, who is leading on the Green Plan. “Our steering group updates it with new actions, and every year we’ll report on what we’ve done to our board.” Significant progress We have already made progress, having cut our direct carbon emissions by 33 per cent since 2009/10. In 2014, we installed a combined heat and power (CHP) plant at our site in Sutton, and in January this year, we installed another in Chelsea. “A CHP plant runs on gas,” explains Sunil. “As well as generating a huge amount of electricity, it also produces heat. That waste heat is used to heat up our buildings and our water.” Since 2015, none of our waste has gone to landfill, and, from last April, all our imported electricity has come from a renewable tariff. To reduce our emissions from travel, we have installed electric
vehicle charging points at our Sutton hospital and provided an inter-site shuttle bus from Sutton station, which is used by 178,000 people every year. “We’re developing a number of energy-efficient schemes,” says Sunil. “For example, we’ve replaced our old air conditioning units with new ones, which runs on much more environmentally friendly gases. PV [solar] panels are being installed wherever possible, and all our lighting is being upgraded to LED.” Indirect emissions But emissions caused directly by our staff and buildings account for just a small portion of the Trust’s total carbon emissions. “Medical equipment, food and catering – our supply chain – all create a big carbon footprint,” says Sunil. “This is why I’m working with colleagues across the Trust to find ways to reduce our [indirect] emissions.” With total intravenous anaesthesia now making up 95 per cent of our anaesthetics usage, we have drastically reduced our emissions in this area, and our partnership with reuse marketplace Globechain is helping us to redistribute unneeded items. But far more needs to be done if we are to cut all our emissions – direct and indirect – to zero. “These are bold, ambitious targets,” says Sunil, “but we desperately need to do this. The health sector’s carbon footprint accounts for around five per cent of the UK’s emissions. We all have to work together to stop all this carbon being emitted.”
Our progress so far
Zero waste has gone to landfill since 2015
100% of our electricity has come from renewables since April 2021
33% reduction in our carbon emissions since 2009/10
178,000 people a year use our inter-site shuttle bus at Sutton
95% of our anaesthetics is total intravenous anaesthesia
For referrals and enquiries, call +44 (0)20 7811 8111 or email privatepatients@rmh.nhs.uk
9
Our green plan
Water and energy Our switch to 100 per cent renewable electricity last year will reduce our associated electricity emissions to zero. This year, we will: • install a CHP plant at our Chelsea site (following the one at Sutton in 2014) • switch to low-energy LED lights and install more solar panels across our sites • install sub-metering devices to measure and monitor our electricity and water usage, and develop and implement energy and water efficiency plans • require all our new buildings – including the forthcoming Oak Cancer Centre – to achieve an Excellent BREEAM rating (see right)
10 Private Care magazine
Here are some of the steps we are taking to reduce our carbon footprint and meet the NHS’s net-zero target
Transport Sustainable travel not only reduces carbon emissions, it also has health benefits for patients and staff. We are supporting this by: • installing electric vehicle charging points across our sites – adding a further two every year • converting our fleet and pool vehicles to fully electric by 2024 • updating our travel plan to improve access for patients, staff and visitors to both sites, and undertaking a staff travel survey every year • encouraging staff to cycle or walk to work through schemes such as a bicycle users’ group, free cycle maintenance sessions with Dr Bike, guided walks and a steps challenge
Digital transformation Our shift to remote care during the COVID-19 pandemic showed that we can successfully use existing digital technology and reduce our use of resources and associated carbon emissions. We will continue to: • support the move to digital appointments where possible, with the aim of halving patient travel • support flexible and remote working • train staff in the use of software such as Zoom and Microsoft Teams • increase the digitisation of services, such as electronic payslips, to reduce paper use
GREEN PLAN
Oak Cancer Centre to get the green light
Our supply chain The NHS supply chain accounts for nearly two-thirds of total carbon emissions and is a huge area of focus in our Green Plan. We will: • sign up to NHS England’s plastics pledge to reduce our reliance on single-use plastics, cut down our paper use and switch to 100% recycled paper • implement a ‘repair and reuse’ plan for durable products, including donating IT equipment and reusing furniture • ensure at least £1 in every £3 of our spend is with SMEs and social enterprises • include water and gas consumption as part of a product’s whole-life cost when procuring goods
Medicines Anaesthetic gases and inhalers are the largest contributors to emissions from NHS medicines. Most anaesthesia we give is total intravenous anaesthesia, which significantly reduces our emissions. We will also: • require reports of carbon emissions from all our medical devices, equipment and pharmaceutical suppliers • identify high-carbon products and specify lowercarbon alternatives • encourage suppliers to adopt more sustainable packaging • reduce unnecessary prescribing and implement a plan for the waste management of pharmaceuticals, medical devices and anaesthetic gases
We are on track to achieve an Excellent BREEAM rating for the Oak Cancer Centre, our new research and treatment facility that is under construction in Sutton. BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method) is the world’s longestestablished method of rating the sustainability of buildings. The building will be heated by connecting it to our existing CHP engine, and 200m 2 of mounted solar photovoltaic panels will generate around 32,000 kWh of energy every year. Energy-efficient LED lighting with daylight dimming controls will harvest natural daylight, and absence detectors will automatically turn off lighting when it is not needed. Further measures include a green roof to promote biodiversity and an infiltration system to capture and treat rainwater. We are also working with Transport for London to reduce traffic emissions by rerouting bus services to the site, and we will continue to work to reduce associated emissions when it opens this year.
For referrals and enquiries, call +44 (0)20 7811 8111 or email privatepatients@rmh.nhs.uk
11
YOUR HEALTH IN MIND Cancer can stir up feelings that are difficult to process, so our highly skilled team of mental health professionals offers patients much-needed psychological support
FOR MANY PATIENTS, a cancer diagnosis and treatment can have a huge impact psychologically as well as physically. As Sonali Seddon, Oncology Psychotherapist in The Royal Marsden’s Adult Psychological Support Service, says: “It’s not only your body going through the treatment – it’s your whole self.” Supported by The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity, our psychological support service accepts referrals for patients who have had treatment within the past two years. It’s often soon after treatment – irrespective of how it may have gone – when challenging emotions surface.
12 Private Care magazine
“Throughout treatment, they’ve been focusing on getting through it,” explains Sonali. “But after it’s finished, there’s a sense of, ‘Gosh, what have I been through? How do I live my life after this?’ It’s a huge shock.” There’s also an expectation that, post-treatment, life should have returned to normal. “People think, ‘[I] should be happy, [my] treatment was successful,’” she says. “But there’s still a big recovery that needs to happen psychologically. They’re still grieving something and still living with huge uncertainty. Patients often talk about how lonely it is to be a cancer patient because no one really gets it.”
BUILDING TRUST Therapist Caroline Lovett looks after patients’ sexual wellbeing
To begin the journey to psychological recovery, Sonali and the team work on building a therapeutic relationship with their patients. “It’s about having a space that has a boundary, but is outside their everyday life,” she says. In this safe and impartial space, the patient feels able to tell their story and begin to understand what they’ve experienced. “There’s huge power in having someone who’s non-judgemental providing a therapeutic space,” says Sonali. “Patients can say something that is really hard to voice otherwise. It can be part of the reparative experience.”
M E N TA L H E A LT H
Art works One of the services the team offers is art therapy. “Patients don’t have to be good at art,” explains Alison TemplemanWright, Senior Art Psychotherapist. “It’s about exploring the materials. “The art acts as a bridge to communication – for some, it can be really helpful. If they can see something they’ve made, then through our conversation I can point things out and they suddenly realise what’s been staring them in the face.” Art therapy works on many different levels. For some patients, simply using the material itself can be very relaxing, making them feel more comfortable to talk about their difficulties. For others, the therapy is a useful tool for accessing something deeper. “The actual sensory act of making the artwork can tap into feelings and memories they’ve perhaps dampened or not understood,” says Alison. “But through the sessions, they can start to understand why they’re feeling this way.”
GOOD TO TALK Psychotherapist Sonali Seddon helps patients come to terms with their experiences
Sex after cancer Sexual wellbeing is commonly affected by cancer, so psychosexual therapy is a key element of patient support. “Any cancer diagnosis can affect how we feel about being a sexual person, as well as the general mechanics of sex,”
“We provide a space that is outside of everyday life”
says Caroline Lovett, Senior Psychosexual and Relationship Therapist. “When patients first get their diagnosis, it’s not usually what they think about – they’re just coping with the diagnosis and treatment. But often afterwards, they question: ‘Who am I sexually now, and is anything going to feel different?’” Caroline sees people from all stages of life (“My youngest patient is 16 and my oldest is well into their 80s”) and, as well as offering reassurance that what they’re going through is normal, she helps them find practical solutions. For example, she has worked with teenagers who have gone through an early menopause as a result of their treatment. Breaking down barriers One of Caroline’s biggest challenges is helping patients overcome their embarrassment. “Often, on the first session, they can be a bit nervous,”
she says. “Humour can be useful in breaking down those barriers. After the first few sessions, they start to trust me and open up. “It’s really important that we give people an opportunity to talk about how they are sexually because our sexuality is a huge part of our happiness and how we feel about ourselves. I can be talking to people in their 70s or 80s and they tell me that this is the first time in their life they’ve really been able to talk honestly about that sexual side of themselves.” Psychological support after a cancer diagnosis is a crucial aspect of patients’ recovery and The Royal Marsden excels in recognising this, says Sonali. “We’re a fantastic team and it’s such a privilege to work with patients and be alongside them on their journey. We’re experts at what we do, and we’re experts in cancer.”
For referrals and enquiries, call +44 (0)20 7811 8111 or email privatepatients@rmh.nhs.uk
13
DR NAUREEN STARLING Consultant Medical Oncologist
DR NAUREEN STARLING is a Consultant Medical Oncologist in The Royal Marsden’s Gastrointestinal (GI) Unit, where she specialises in the treatment of patients with oesophageal/gastric, pancreatic, neuroendocrine and colorectal cancers. As well as treating patients, Dr Starling researches these cancer types, with her work focusing on early-phase clinical trials, novel therapeutics and technologies, and the delivery of individualised medicine to patients with GI cancers. Dr Starling is the principal investigator on numerous international clinical trials and has attracted significant peer-reviewed and industry grant funding for clinical and
translational academic research. At The Royal Marsden, she is Associate Director of Clinical Research and Clinical Lead for the West Wing Clinical Research Centre, and Upper GI Lead for the South London Cancer Research Network. Dr Starling serves on several national and international research groups, and has provided expertise for national cancer guideline development and NICE technology appraisals. In education, Dr Starling is NIHR Training Lead for the Biomedical Research Centre at The Royal Marsden and The Institute of Cancer Research, London, and is one of the Medical Oncology Training Programme Directors for London.
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS 1999 Graduates from University College London with first-class honours in Physiology (BSc), and distinctions in Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics and Pathology 1999 Undertakes general medical training at University College Hospital and Northwick Park and St Mark’s hospitals, London 2003 Begins specialist
14 Private Care magazine
Q&A training in medical oncology at The Royal Marsden 2007 Completes postgraduate degree at The Institute of Cancer Research, London, focusing on the genomics and therapeutics of oesophageal cancer 2012 Becomes Consultant at The Royal Marsden and Associate Director of Clinical Research and Clinical Lead for the West Wing Clinical Research Centre
Q What services do you and The Royal Marsden offer patients? A The Royal Marsden has an internationally renowned GI Unit, which I am part of. My area of expertise is in systemic therapies, including innovative therapies used in clinical trials to treat patients and help them live well during and beyond cancer. Among our strengths are our multidisciplinary team
C O N S U LTA N T F O C U S
“The GI Unit has a culture of innovation... We aim to rapidly translate new treatments into the clinic to benefit patients”
Q What developments are taking place in the treatment of GI cancers? A Some GI cancers can be particularly challenging to treat, but there has been a definite move to personalise treatments to the individual and their tumour while exploiting new technologies. The GI Unit has a culture of innovation, and we aim to rapidly translate new treatment options and technological advances into the clinic for the benefit of our patients. Increasingly, we are looking at how we can harness the body’s own immune system using immunotherapy. This is evolving work, but considerable clinical research is being done in this area, and it could lead to more durable treatments for patients and better outcomes.
been some significant breakthroughs in precision treatments and immunotherapy for some groups of patients. Another area I am interested in is liquid biopsies. These are blood tests that look for circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA), which is released into the blood as tumours grow and can help us select the best targeted treatments for the patient without always needing a sample from an invasive tissue biopsy. The TRACC study is investigating whether the presence of ctDNA in the blood after surgery can be used to identify patients who don’t need chemotherapy. This could revolutionise treatment for operable bowel cancer within the next five years, sparing thousands of patients from unnecessary chemotherapy and its side effects every year. Liquid biopsies may also help to diagnose patients, and I am actively researching this for pancreatic and bile duct cancers. It’s exciting to be at the leading edge of this next phase of precision medicine.
Q What have been the biggest changes in the treatment of GI cancers during your career? A For some GI cancers, patient outcomes can be poor, but in the past five years there have
Q How can patients be referred to you? A They can be referred to me or the team by their GP, or by another clinician involved in their care.
gastroenterology and nuclear medicine. Not only does this mean that patients get the best treatment from world experts, but the approach ensures efficiency and a more streamlined treatment pathway for them.
(MDT) meetings, which are critical to us providing the best treatment and care to patients. Q Why are MDT meetings so important? A We meet once a week to jointly review our patients and devise individual treatment plans. Included in the meetings are surgeons, clinical oncologists, radiologists and interventional radiologists, along with our colleagues in histopathology,
For referrals and enquiries, call +44 (0)20 7811 8111 or email privatepatients@rmh.nhs.uk
15
As Europe’s largest cancer centre, The Royal Marsden has the expertise, facilities and technology to provide the highest standards of personalised care, and we treat more private patients than any other UK centre. By choosing The Royal Marsden, you are ensuring the best possible treatment and care, at the moment a patient needs it most. Because where a patient goes first really matters.
Life demands excellence
To refer a private patient, contact our Central Referral and Information Line on +44 (0)20 7811 8111 or email privatepatients@rmh.nhs.uk royalmarsden.nhs.uk/private