UCLH is constantly looking to improve the service offered to patients and in this section you will find details of our major new developments, including building projects and new services.
Proton beam therapy
We are working to become one of the first centres in the UK to provide Proton Beam Therapy (PBT). PBT is an advanced form of radiotherapy which can target tumours far more precisely than conventional methods. This new technology is only available in a handful of centres worldwide and is beneficial for child, brain and eye cancer cases. We have formed a partnership with other hospitals in our national bid to be one of two national centres which are planned to be established in the UK by 2016/17.
Institute of Sport, Exercise and Health
A legacy of the London 2012 Olympic Games will be the Institute of Sport, Exercise and Health – a collaboration between UCLH, UCL, British Olympic Association (BOA), English Institute of Sport and an independent sector partner. The Institute has been awarded funding of £10 million by the Department of Health to develop a hub of clinical and research expertise to increase exercise in the community, develop strategies to prevent diseases related to inactivity, and prevent, diagnose and manage injuries for both professional and amateur athletes.
Vascular Surgery and Neurosurgery transfers
Clinical evidence suggests that providing specialist services from a single site is better for patients. Two recent developments have seen the creation of specialist services on single sites in the local area. To create a world-class vascular service, we have transferred our specialist vascular surgery services to the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust. Similarly, the UK’s largest single largest site for neurosurgery was created when emergency, acute and intracranial neurosurgery and elective spinal surgery transferred from the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust to UCLH. The transfer ensures patients can benefit from high-quality specialised treatment around the clock with improved access to state-of-the-art facilities for diagnosis and treatment. It is anticipated that the reconfigured service will also lead to improvements in training and research.