Duke of York opens Institute of Hepatology at Denmark Hill

The Institute of Hepatology will work closely with King’s College Hospital, which is a centre of excellence for liver conditions

The Institute of Hepatology, which is affiliated with King’s College Hospital and King’s College London, is an independent research organisation funded by the Foundation for Liver Research. It has relocated to Denmark Hill to enhance opportunities for close work with the clinical service at the hospital, which is a centre of excellence for liver conditions.

The Institute of Hepatology carries out basic scientific research into diseases of the liver with the aim to help develop new treatments. The Institute is owned and managed by the Foundation for Liver Research, a charity established in 1973 that supports ground-breaking research programmes into liver disease. The Institute was opened by the Duke of York, who is patron of the charity.

The new centre houses state-of-the-art laboratories for up to 50 scientists, and research is organised around the theme of liver cell injury and repair. Current areas of research include viral hepatitis, liver cancer, liver inflammation and metabolism, epigenetic events underlying liver development and regeneration, the restoration of immune responses in reducing organ dysfunction in liver failure, and use of pluripotent stem cells in enhancing regeneration of the liver.

Professor Roger Williams CBE, is the Director of Research at the Foundation, and was instrumental in establishing the world-class liver transplantation service at King’s College Hospital in the 1960s.

Talking about the opening, Professor Williams said, “I am delighted to be returning to Denmark Hill as it is the best location for the Institute of Hepatology due to the strength of the liver service at King’s College Hospital. We already have strong links with both the hospital, which is renowned for its expertise in liver conditions, and King’s College London, and the new location will further strengthen the research partnership between the three organisations.”

Professor Julia Wendon, Executive Medical Director, and Consultant Intensivist and Hepatologist at King’s College Hospital, added, “The Foundation for Liver Research has supported research programmes into liver disease for more than 30 years. This includes much of the early pioneering work at King’s College Hospital into liver transplantation and acute liver failure.

“Research is vital in developing new treatments. Having the Institute of Hepatology located at the hospital will enhance collaborative working into liver disease for the benefit of patients locally, nationally and internationally.”

For further information please contact:

Karen Welsh
Acting Head of Communications
karen.welsh2@nhs.net
Extension: +44 (0)20 3299 3850

Notes to editors

1. King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is one of the UK’s largest and busiest teaching hospitals, training over 900 dentists, 750 doctors and 300 nurses every year. The Trust is recognized internationally for its work in liver disease and transplantation, neurosciences, cardiac, haemato-oncology, stroke and major trauma. On 1 October 2013, King’s took over the running of the Princess Royal University Hospital in Bromley and Orpington Hospital, as well as some services at Beckenham Beacon and Queen Mary’s Hospital, Sidcup. The new enlarged organisation has over 10,500 staff and provides over 1 million patient contacts a year. 9,000 babies are delivered by our hospitals each year, and over 750 patients come to our Emergency Departments every day. For more information, please visit the website. You can also support the work of King’s College Hospital at www.togetherwecan.org.uk

2. King’s Health Partners Academic Health Sciences Centre (AHSC) is a pioneering collaboration between King’s College London, and Guy’s and St Thomas’, King’s College Hospital and South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trusts.

King’s Health Partners is one of only six Department of Health-designated AHSCs in England and brings together an unrivalled range and depth of clinical and research expertise, spanning both physical and mental health. Our combined strengths will drive improvements in care for patients, allowing them to benefit from breakthroughs in medical science and receive leading edge treatment at the earliest possible opportunity.

Our partnership brings together...

three of the UK’s leading NHS Foundation Trusts;
one of the top 30 universities in the world;
services provided over 225 locations, including seven hospitals and community and mental health centres;
2.2 million patient contacts each year;
31,000 staff;
25,000 students;
a combined annual turnover of £2.8bn.

... to advance health and wellbeing by integrating world-class research, care and teaching.

3. At King’s College Hospital we fundraise for the best in treatment, research and health education, leading-edge equipment and improving well-being in our communities. By uniting doctors, nurses, researchers and academics with our supporters and volunteers we can provide the best patient care that goes above and beyond. Find out more and support us at togetherwecan.org.uk

King’s College Hospital helipad launch

Today, Wednesday 26 October, King’s College Hospital is pleased to announce the opening of its helipad.

The new helipad will save thousands of lives, helping the hospital serve its trauma population of 4.5 million people across south east London and Kent.

Built on top of the hospital’s 10-storey Ruskin Wing, the helipad has been made possible thanks to a multi-million-pound donation from the County Air Ambulance HELP Appeal – the only charity in the country dedicated to funding the construction of hospital helipads. In addition, more than 2,600 patients, staff, and members of the local community generously donated £500,000 to the hospital’s Time is Life Appeal.

The helipad is the first in mainland UK to be equipped with a deck integrated firefighting (DIFF) system. This system automatically sprays foam from a series of nozzles installed into the helideck in the event of a fire, instead of relying on a team of fire fighters to manually extinguish it. Using the automated fire system will save the Trust £300,000 each year compared to employing firefighters, and it guarantees to extinguish a blaze within eight seconds. The system also frees up firefighters to work on the ground.

The new helipad will speed up the time it takes helicopters to transfer critically ill patients to King’s, and reduce ‘landing-to-resus’ transfer times to just five minutes. At present, helicopters land in nearby Ruskin Park and patients are transferred to King’s by road - a process which can take as long as 25 minutes.

Dr Malcolm Tunnicliff is Clinical Director for Emergency Medicine at King’s College Hospital. He is also Deputy Director of the South East London Kent and Medway (SELKaM) Major Trauma Network, and a doctor with the Kent, Surrey & Sussex Air Ambulance Trust - a charity providing a Helicopter Emergency Service (HEMS) to the south east of England, and is Governance Lead for the charity.

He said: “We are incredibly pleased that our helipad at King’s is operational. It’s a very positive development for the patients we treat and our staff, who go above and beyond every single day to save people’s lives. At King’s we treat some of the most seriously ill and critically injured patients in the south east. The helipad will speed up the time it takes to transfer patients from helicopter to hospital, giving patients the very best chance of survival.”

Mr Robert Bentley, Clinical Director of the King's Trauma Centre (KTC) and South East London Kent and Medway (SELKaM) Major Trauma Network, added: “We are very grateful to the County Air Ambulance HELP Appeal, plus the many other donors and fundraisers from across the King’s hospital community – without their generous contributions, the helipad would not have been possible.

“When a patient has experienced major trauma it is vital they get specialist treatment as quickly as possible. In these situations, time is life.

“We are proud to be the best performing major trauma network in the country, and our new helipad will help us continue our focus on delivering world-class trauma care, and saving even more lives.”

Robert Bertram, Chief Executive of the HELP Appeal which donated £2.75 million, including £500,000 towards the entire cost of the DIFF, explained the importance of the new system: “This automatic system is safer for everyone including emergency rescue teams as they can work alongside the spray activation to help with evacuating patients and staff from air ambulances. It has also been shown to put out fires really efficiently and isn’t affected by the wind – a must when the helipad is located on the roof of King’s College Hospital.

“Typically used on oil rigs, this is the first time DIFF will be used on a helipad in mainland UK where even though the chance of a fire is much lower, we feel reassured that if it ever does happen, we now have the best possible chance of getting the fire completely extinguished and critically ill patients can continue their journey to the Emergency Department quickly as possible.

“We have pledged £2.75 million to this helipad as we are fully aware of the drastic difference this helipad will make. Every second counts when a critical accident or injury happens, and the new helipad will make sure the most seriously ill or injured patients get the treatment they need as quickly as possible.”

For further information please contact:

Karen Welsh
Acting Head of Communications
karen.welsh2@nhs.net
Extension: +44 (0)20 3299 3850

Notes to editors

Our partnership brings together...

three of the UK’s leading NHS Foundation Trusts;
one of the top 30 universities in the world;
services provided over 225 locations, including seven hospitals and community and mental health centres;
2.2 million patient contacts each year;
31,000 staff;
25,000 students;
a combined annual turnover of £2.8bn.

... to advance health and wellbeing by integrating world-class research, care and teaching.

About the HELP Appeal

The HELP (Helicopter Emergency Landing Pads) Appeal was established by the County Air Ambulance Trust to help raise funds for much needed hospital helipad facilities across the country. Only a small number of hospitals have onsite helicopter landing pads and this means that transfer times are increased. Most air ambulance patients have to be transferred by road for part of their journey which takes time and can often mean a life threatening transfer is needed from the helicopter to the road ambulance.
The HELP Appeal operates the HELP Appeal grant scheme which offers non-repayable grants to hospitals to help fund new helipads or upgrade existing helipads.
The Appeal has already funded helipads at Oswestry Spinal Injuries Hospital, Gloucestershire Royal Hospital, Southampton General Hospital, Bristol Royal Infirmary and St. George’s Hospital in London, and is currently talking to over twenty hospitals from Brighton to Edinburgh about their helipad needs and how the Appeal might be able to help with this life-saving equipment. In 2015, new helipads opened at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, the Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow and Western Isles Hospital in December, followed by Derriford Hospital in Plymouth and Sheffield Northern General in June 2016.
Donations can be made by calling the donation helpline on 0800 389 8999, visiting the website www.helpappeal.com or donating by text, just type HPAD22 plus the amount into the message box and send it to 70070. Donation will be charged to your mobile bill.

King’s world-leading liver service expands

New research facility will aid the development of new treatments for children’s liver failure

King’s College Hospital’s first dedicated paediatric research facility has opened at the Trust’s Denmark Hill site.

The Alex Mowat Paediatric Research Laboratories, known as the MowatLabs, have been developed primarily for research into children’s liver disease and acute liver failure, in close collaboration with the adult liver unit at the hospital.

The £1.2m state-of-the-art laboratories – which have been funded entirely through philanthropic donations – bring together clinicians, researchers, nurses, intensivists, surgeons and transplant specialists, in a collaborative research environment.

King’s College Hospital has the only joint paediatric and adult liver facility in the world. It is home to the world’s largest children’s liver unit, treating over 3,000 young patients a year, and is at the forefront of pioneering new treatments.

Professor Anil Dhawan, Clinical Director for Child Health and Director of the MowatLabs at King’s College Hospital, said, “The fantastic new MowatLabs will make all the difference to our young patients with serious, often life-threatening, liver conditions. It will help us develop new therapies and treatments, which will benefit children locally, nationally and internationally. We are already working on a number of exciting new research projects in the laboratories, which will build on over the coming months and years.

“Thanks to very generous donations from key supporters, we continue to strive for treatment breakthroughs, and can maximise the resources available to us.”

Nicholas Ness, whose 14-year-old son Samuel was born with biliary atresia – a condition affecting the bile ducts – had a liver transplant at King’s in May 2015. He said, “Sam is a direct beneficiary of research. Without out it, many of the treatments Sam has benefitted from would not have been available. Sam also spent a year on a drugs trial, which aided his recovery after the transplant. Laboratories like the MowatLabs are vital in making treatment advancements.”

The new laboratories will also encourage research into children’s respiratory medicine, gastroenterology, sickle cell disease and neurological conditions.

For further information please contact:

Karen Welsh
Acting Head of Communications
karen.welsh2@nhs.net
Extension: +44 (0)20 3299 3850

Notes to editors

1. For further information contact:
Karen Welsh, Corporate Communications,
King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.
Tel: 020 3299 3850; e-mail: karen.welsh2@nhs.net
www.kch.nhs.uk

2. King’s Liver Unit is marking its fiftieth anniversary this year. Since the service was established in 1966, many of the most significant moments in the research and treatment of liver disease worldwide have taken place at the hospital, including:

The discovery of genetic faults that cause liver disease and liver cancer in children
The world’s first transplant of a split liver into two different patients
The world’s first living relative transplant (a piece of liver is taken from a living relative and transplanted into the patient where it grows back to full size)
The world’s first liver cell transplant, avoiding the need for a liver transplant

Additionally, King’s is recognised as having:

The largest children’s liver transplantation centre in the world, performing more than 60 transplants a year
The largest liver transplantation programme in Europe
The most liver transplants carried out in the UK in a single year
The world’s largest children’s liver biobank

3. The laboratories have been named in memory of the late Professor Alex Mowat, who worked at King’s between 1970 and 1995 as the hospital’s first Consultant Paediatrician and Paediatric Hepatologist. He established a first-class clinical unit for children who suffered with rare conditions, and led research into the causes and treatment of disorders previously thought untreatable in children.

4. King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is one of the UK’s largest and busiest teaching hospitals. The Trust is recognised internationally for its work in liver disease and transplantation, neurosciences, cardiac, haemato-oncology, fetal medicine, stroke and major trauma. In 2013, we acquired the Princess Royal University Hospital (PRUH), Orpington Hospital, and some services at Beckenham Beacon and Queen Mary’s Sidcup following the dissolution of South London Healthcare NHS Trust. We now provide care to 1.5 million patients in Southwark, Lambeth, Bromley, Bexley, Lewisham and elsewhere in south east London and parts of Kent. Over 10,000 babies are delivered by our hospitals each year, and over 750 patients come to our Emergency Departments every day. For more information, please visit the website - www.kch.nhs.uk. You can also support the work of King’s College Hospital at supportkings.org.uk.

5. King’s Health Partners Academic Health Sciences Centre (AHSC) is a pioneering collaboration between King’s College London, and Guy’s and St Thomas’, King’s College Hospital and South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trusts.

We are one of only six AHSCs in the UK and bring together an unrivalled range and depth of clinical and research expertise, spanning both physical and mental health. Our combined strengths will drive improvements in care for patients, allowing them to benefit from breakthroughs in medical science and receive leading edge treatment at the earliest possible opportunity.

King’s Health Partners Academic Health Sciences Centre brings together:

three of the UK’s leading NHS Foundation Trusts;
a university ranked in the top 20 in the world;
services provided across central and outer London locations, including seven mental health and physical healthcare hospitals and many community sites;
4.2million patient contacts each year;
36,000 staff;
25,000 students;
a combined annual turnover of £3.1billion.

6. At King’s College Hospital we fundraise for the best in treatment, research and health education, leading-edge equipment and improving well-being in our communities. By uniting doctors, nurses, researchers and academics with our supporters and volunteers we can provide the best patient care that goes above and beyond. Find out more and support us at supportkings.org.uk

Refurbished hydrotherapy pool reopens at Orpington Hospital

King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is pleased to have officially reopened the hydrotherapy pool at Orpington Hospital following a period of refurbishment.

On Friday 2 December, the Trust held an event at the hospital to mark the reopening, attended by staff and patients, representatives from the Friends of Orpington Hospital, and Jo Johnson, MP for Orpington.

The refurbishment – which was completed in October as part of a complete renovation of the entire site – was made possible thanks to a generous donation from the Friends of Orpington Hospital and investment by the Trust.

The hydrotherapy pool is much loved in the local community, and is used by patients undergoing neurorehabilitation as part of their recovery, as well as by several community groups.

King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust took over the running of Orpington Hospital in 2013 following the dissolution of South London Healthcare NHS Trust.

Matthew Trainer, Managing Director of Orpington Hospital and the Princess Royal University Hospital (PRUH), said: “I am delighted that we have been able to undertake much-needed renovation work on the hydrotherapy pool at Orpington Hospital, and we are very grateful to the Friends of Orpington Hospital for their kind donation towards this work.

“The new pool will help improve the experience of our neurorehabilitation patients at an important time during their recovery, and hiring the pool to local community groups will create a valuable income for the Trust that can be reinvested into patient care.”

Ken Evans, Chair of the Friends of Orpington Hospital, said: “The Friends are very pleased to be able to support such an important project for the community of Orpington. We hope the refurbished pool will offer improvements to patient care and a valuable resource for local groups.”

Jo Johnson MP said: Jo has come back to me on the quote. He has changed it slightly to say: “The hydrotherapy pool at Orpington Hospital is an incredibly important and highly valued local facility. I am delighted that King’s – with the generous backing of the Friends of Orpington Hospital – has been able to give it a facelift.

“I am sure that the new pool will prove invaluable for patients and the public alike. This is yet another step in the recent development of Orpington Hospital, which continues to go from strength to strength under the management of King’s.”

Image caption: (l-r) Helen Peskett, Orpington Hospital Management Lead; Debbie Hutchinson, Director of Nursing for PRUH & South Sites; Ken Evans, Chair of the Friends of Orpington Hospital; Jo Johnson MP; Matthew Trainer, Managing Director of Orpington Hospital and the Princess Royal University Hospital (PRUH)

Hiring the hydrotherapy pool

If you are a local community group interested in hiring the hydrotherapy pool, please email Julie Codet-Boisse at julie.codet-boisse@nhs.net.

For further information please contact:

Ellie Morton
Senior Communications Officer
eleanor.morton@nhs.net
Extension: +44 (0)20 3299 4139

Notes to editors

Our partnership brings together...

three of the UK’s leading NHS Foundation Trusts;
one of the top 30 universities in the world;
services provided over 225 locations, including seven hospitals and community and mental health centres;
2.2 million patient contacts each year;
31,000 staff;
25,000 students;
a combined annual turnover of £2.8bn.

... to advance health and wellbeing by integrating world-class research, care and teaching.

Calling all knitters!

The Falls and Dementia Teams at King's need your help with knitting twiddle mitts

The Falls and Dementia Teams at King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust are urging the local community – and those from further afield – to knit twiddle mitts for their patients with dementia.

Twiddle mitts are simple knitted cuffs, to which a range of items, including ribbons, buttons or beads, can be sewn to provide activity for patients with dementia.

For infection control reasons each mitt can only be used by one patient, so the teams really need as many as possible.

Speaking of the benefits of twiddle mitts, Emma Ouldred, Dementia Nurse Specialist at King’s College Hospital, said: “Twiddle mitts are a simple and effective way of providing meaningful activity for patients with dementia. They can reduce anxiety and relieve boredom, and generally help to improve a patient’s stay in hospital.”

The teams have already had a positive response with lots of people taking part and knitting mitts, but more are still needed.

Twiddle mitts are easy to knit and can be made with leftover bits of wool. A twiddle mitt pattern is available to view on the website.

Ann Ahmed, a medical secretary at King’s College Hospital, has knitted 10 mitts for the teams, she said: “Twiddle mitts are a wonderful idea and they are really easy to make yet so worthwhile for people with dementia. The pattern provided is very straightforward and the mitts don’t take too long to make – only about two hours in all.”

A ‘knit-in’ is being held at King’s College Hospital, Denmark Hill, on Friday 27 January.

Everyone is welcome to come along for a few hours to knit. Please email kch-tr.twiddlemitts@nhs.net for more details if you are interested in attending.

Twiddle mitts can be sent to:
The Falls Team
Unit 1
KCH Business Park
129 Coldharbour Lane
London, SE5 9NY

The Falls Team
Executive Nursing Office
The PRUH
Farnborough Common
Kent, BR6 8ND

Alternatively mitts can be taken to any of the helpdesks for the attention of the Falls Team.

For further information please contact:

Molly Downing
Communications Assistant
molly.downing@nhs.net
Extension: +44 (0)20 3299 3257

Notes to editors

Our partnership brings together...

three of the UK’s leading NHS Foundation Trusts;
one of the top 30 universities in the world;
services provided over 225 locations, including seven hospitals and community and mental health centres;
2.2 million patient contacts each year;
31,000 staff;
25,000 students;
a combined annual turnover of £2.8bn.

... to advance health and wellbeing by integrating world-class research, care and teaching.

King's patients’ DNA sequenced to develop target treatment

The results will help with the development of personalised treatment plans for people with cancer

Three cancer patients at King’s College Hospital are among the first eight in the country to have their DNA sequenced as part of Government’s ‘100,000 Genomes Project’.

King’s is one of a select group of hospitals taking part in the project, which involves collecting blood and cancer samples from some patients and their relatives to help increase understanding of certain cancers and rare diseases. The ultimate aim of the project is to develop more targeted treatments, which are tailored to the individual patient.

At present, cancer patients are largely treated with the same drugs, which work for some but not for others. By using genetic sequencing, clinicians will be able to separate people with similar diseases into much narrower groups and target treatment based on their genetic code.

Dr Guy Chung-Faye, Consultant Gastroenterologist at King’s, whose patients are among the first to have their DNA sequenced for the project, said, “Although the first complete human genome sequence was published 15 years ago, with the introduction of the 100,000 Genome Project we are now testing on a much larger scale, and in the future we aim to make this part of routine cancer care.

“By drilling down to a patient’s individual DNA code, we can start to pinpoint the mutations that caused the cancer. Over time, this will lead to the development of precision treatments, which will revolutionise cancer care.”

Farzin Farzaneh from Dulwich was diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2015. He decided to have his DNA sequenced to help future generations. Talking about his involvement in the project he said, “I decided to have my DNA sequenced as I felt it was important to help develop a more thorough understanding of this cancer in general and my own cancer in particular. I know the information provided by sequencing the DNA in my tumour may help to optimize my own treatment if it comes back.

“More importantly, the information obtained could help identify whether my children will be at greater than average risk of developing cancer. If this happens to be the case, they could then be monitored more closely, and early detection would offer them more effective treatment options.

“The information obtained by the 100,000 genome project may turn out to be of direct benefit to me and to my children, and to help create a legacy for generations to come.”

The genome is the genetic code in DNA. It contains the information for about 20,000 genes. People inherit a copy of the genome from each parent and it contains the information needed to make every part of the body. The small differences in genomes are what make people unique.

The 100,000 Genomes Project is being carried out on a scale not seen before anywhere else in the world. It aims to decode 100,000 human genomes in order to create a new genomic medicine service in the NHS to enhance our understanding of diseases, and potentially change the way we treat patients.

For further information please contact:

Karen Welsh
Acting Head of Communications
karen.welsh2@nhs.net
Extension: +44 (0)20 3299 3850

Notes to editors

Our partnership brings together...

three of the UK’s leading NHS Foundation Trusts;
one of the top 30 universities in the world;
services provided over 225 locations, including seven hospitals and community and mental health centres;
2.2 million patient contacts each year;
31,000 staff;
25,000 students;
a combined annual turnover of £2.8bn.

... to advance health and wellbeing by integrating world-class research, care and teaching.

Children at King’s first to experience virtual reality MRI

An MRI Physicist at King’s College Hospital has developed a first of a kind application (app) that aims to prepare children for an MRI scan

Having an MRI scan can be daunting for a child, but the My MRI at King's app uses panoramic 360 degree videos to allow children to experience what an MRI scan involves before the real thing takes place. The resource can be viewed on a virtual reality headset or explored on a phone or tablet.

While developing the app, Jonathan Ashmore worked closely with the Play Specialist Team at King’s College Hospital, so that they can use the resource with children before they go in for a scan. There is also the option to use the app and headset at home with their parents. My MRI at King’s takes children all the way through the events that will happen on the day, from arriving at the hospital to entering the scanner.

The VR technology allows children to feel as though they are inside an MRI scanner and experience what it will be like on the day. Children have the opportunity to get accustomed to the loud tapping noises that happen during the scan (this is the electric current in the scanner coils being turned on and off), as well as learning that they need to keep still for the duration of the scan. For some children, having an MRI can be a frightening experience and some require a general anaesthetic to get through the scan.

Jonathan, who has done all of the filming himself, said: “I was given a 360 degree camera as a present, and I wanted to use it to help anxious children I see come into the hospital. As an MRI Physicist, putting the camera inside the scanner seemed like the most logical place to start!”

Jonathan developed the app jointly with Jerome Di Pietro, a Learning Technologist at King’s College London.

Ten year old Matthew Down has to have annual MRI scans after having urgent brain surgery for triventricular hydrocephalus - a build-up of fluid on the brain - in September 2014. He was asked to trial the app and to give his feedback. Matthew said: “I was really worried before my first scan because I didn’t know what to expect, even though my dad explained I couldn’t imagine what it would be like. I think that the app is really helpful as it shows you what to expect and it really feels like you are inside the machine.”

Speaking of the benefits of the app, Dr Darshan Das, Consultant Paediatrician in Paediatric Neurology at King’s, said: “So far the app has had some really positive feedback and I can see that it has the potential to significantly relieve anxiety and prevent the need for children to undergo an anaesthetic in many cases.”

The app is available to download from the Google Play store for Android phones, and will soon be available to download from the App Store for iOS.

For further information please contact:

Molly Downing
Communications Assistant
molly.downing@nhs.net
Extension: +44 (0)20 3299 3257

Notes to editors

Our partnership brings together...

three of the UK’s leading NHS Foundation Trusts;
one of the top 30 universities in the world;
services provided over 225 locations, including seven hospitals and community and mental health centres;
2.2 million patient contacts each year;
31,000 staff;
25,000 students;
a combined annual turnover of £2.8bn.

... to advance health and wellbeing by integrating world-class research, care and teaching.

With special thanks to the following people for their support with the project:

Kelly Sibbons
Euan Stokes
Martina Smith
Maureen Newman
Aiobhinn & Cormac McGrath
Jonathan Ashmore
Jerome Di Pietro
Dr Manasi Nandi
Kingfishers
The Centre for Neuroimaging Sciences

Over 100 twiddle mitts knitted for patients with dementia

Thanks to help from people in the local community, over 100 twiddle mitts have been knitted so far for patients with dementia at King's

Twiddle mitts are simple knitted cuffs, to which a range of items, including ribbons, buttons or beads, can be sewn to provide activity for patients with dementia.

To help raise awareness of the initiative being led by the falls and dementia teams at King’s, and to get as many mitts knitted in one day as possible, a knit-in was held on Friday 27 January. The event went really well with members of the public, patients and staff coming along to take part and knit a mitt. Those unable to knit helped out by sewing items to completed mitts and many people donated materials for the event.

Loretta Anthony, a Falls Clinical Nurse Specialist, said: “It’s really great that so many people are getting involved and knitting for our patients with dementia. The knit-in event was an opportunity for people to come together and knit for a great cause. We’re grateful to everyone who took part and to all those who have sent mitts in.”

Dawn Kalu, who attended the knit-in, said: “It was a chance to meet with strangers for a purpose. Rather like quilting bees of the past, the event had an aim but was also a welcome break from outside stresses for the knitters.”

Twiddle mitts are easy to knit and can be made with leftover bits of wool. A twiddle mitt pattern can be found here.

For infection control reasons each mitt can only be used by one patient, so the teams really need as many as possible.

Twiddle mitts can be sent to:

The Falls Team
Unit 1
KCH Business Park
129 Coldharbour Lane
London, SE5 9NY

The Falls Team
Executive Nursing Office
The PRUH
Farnborough Common
Kent, BR6 8ND

Alternatively mitts can be taken to any of the helpdesks for the attention of the Falls Team.

For further information please contact:

Molly Downing
Communications Assistant
molly.downing@nhs.net
Extension: +44 (0)20 3299 3257

Notes to editors

Our partnership brings together...

three of the UK’s leading NHS Foundation Trusts;
one of the top 30 universities in the world;
services provided over 225 locations, including seven hospitals and community and mental health centres;
2.2 million patient contacts each year;
31,000 staff;
25,000 students;
a combined annual turnover of £2.8bn.

... to advance health and wellbeing by integrating world-class research, care and teaching.

Zap of radiation to tackle leading cause of blindness

New hope for patients with Wet Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD)

A clinical trial is using a robotically-controlled system to deliver highly-targeted, low-dose radiotherapy to treat patients with Wet Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) in the hope of eradicating or reducing eye injections.

The nationwide study, funded by an NIHR and MRC partnership and led by clinicians at King’s College Hospital in London, is giving new hope to patients with the condition who until now have faced regular eye injections to preserve their vision.

In the one-off, non-invasive treatment, three rays of radiotherapy are beamed through the white of the eye to overlap at the macula. The therapy is delivered by an eye doctor using a robotically-controlled machine to ensure precision treatment. The total dose of radiation received by the body is about the same as a mammogram.

AMD, of which there are two main types (Wet and Dry), affects patients over 50 and is the leading cause of sight loss in the UK. The condition develops when the part of the eye responsible for central vision (the macula) is unable to function as effectively as it used to. Wet AMD – the more serious form of the condition – occurs when abnormal blood vessels form underneath the macula and damage its cells. Without treatment, vision can deteriorate within weeks or even days.

The standard treatment for Wet AMD involves the injection of drugs into the eye targeting a chemical called vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), which causes the condition. The injections do not cure Wet AMD but they help to preserve sight. It is anticipated that the new treatment will reduce or eliminate the need for further eye injections. Studies have already shown that in carefully selected patients stereotactic radiotherapy can reduce eye injections by about half, with many patients needing no further injections at all, and vision was better than in those who only received eye injections.

If proved successful, the new treatment will not only be more convenient for patients, who currently have to visit an eye clinic on a regular basis, but it will also be more cost-effective for the NHS. Each dose of the injection costs around £800 and needs to be repeated several times each year, whereas the radiotherapy treatment costs £1,250 but is required only once.

Tim Jackson, Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon at King’s College Hospital, who is leading the trial, said, “Age-related macular degeneration causes more blindness in the UK than all other eye diseases combined. It is very common, and the risk increases with age so that by age 90 one in five people has the condition, with 600,000 affected in the UK.

“Initial results with stereotactic radiotherapy have been promising, with some patients experiencing a marked improvement in the quality of their vision, and some no longer requiring injections.

“As well as being a less invasive treatment, we anticipate it will result in better outcomes for patients by addressing the cause of the condition rather than just suppressing it with eye injections.

“Whilst not all patients are suitable for this new technology, for those who are we hope to reduce the burden of having to attend very regular clinic appointments. It should also save the NHS money – so it appears to be win-win.”

The randomised trial treats two-thirds of participants with the active treatment and one-third with a placebo. The standard treatment of eye injections is continued on patients throughout the trial, if they need it.

The trial is currently accepting patients, with about 20 participating hospitals across the UK. Patients can find their nearest participating hospital and details on whether they are suitable for the trial by visiting www.starstudy.org.uk. For further enquiries about the trial, patients can email kch-tr.star-study@nhs.net or phone 020 3299 1297.

The nationwide trial, which is funded by an NIHR and MRC partnership, is called the STAR study and builds on the success of the INTREPID study for Wet AMD.

For further information please contact:

Karen Welsh
Acting Head of Communications
karen.welsh2@nhs.net
Extension: +44 (0)20 3299 3850

Notes to editors

1. King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is one of the UK’s largest and busiest teaching hospitals, training over 900 dentists, 750 doctors and 300 nurses every year. The Trust is recognized internationally for its work in liver disease and transplantation, neurosciences, cardiac, haemato-oncology, stroke, major trauma and ophthalmology. On 1 October 2013, King’s took over the running of the Princess Royal University Hospital in Bromley and Orpington Hospital, as well as some services at Beckenham Beacon and Queen Mary’s Hospital, Sidcup. The new enlarged organisation has over 10,500 staff and provides over 1 million patient contacts a year. 9,000 babies are delivered by our hospitals each year, and over 750 patients come to our Emergency Departments every day. For more information, please visit the website. You can also support the work of King’s College Hospital at www.togetherwecan.org.uk

Our partnership brings together...

three of the UK’s leading NHS Foundation Trusts;
one of the top 30 universities in the world;
services provided over 225 locations, including seven hospitals and community and mental health centres;
2.2 million patient contacts each year;
31,000 staff;
25,000 students;
a combined annual turnover of £2.8bn.

... to advance health and wellbeing by integrating world-class research, care and teaching.

4. The project is managed by the Efficacy and Mechanism Evaluation Programme, an MRC and NIHR partnership, that supports later-phase “science-driven” clinical trials and evaluative studies, which seek to determine whether a health intervention (e.g. a drug, diagnostic technique or device) works and in some cases how or why it works. The programme is funded by the MRC and NIHR, with contributions from the CSO in Scotland, NISCHR in Wales and the HSC R&D Division, Public Health Agency in Northern Ireland. www.nets.nihr.ac.uk/programmes/eme

5. The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) is funded by the Department of Health to improve the health and wealth of the nation through research. The NIHR is the research arm of the NHS. Since its establishment in April 2006, the NIHR has transformed research in the NHS. It has increased the volume of applied health research for the benefit of patients and the public, driven faster translation of basic science discoveries into tangible benefits for patients and the economy, and developed and supported the people who conduct and contribute to applied health research. The NIHR plays a key role in the Government’s strategy for economic growth, attracting investment by the life-sciences industries through its world-class infrastructure for health research. Together, the NIHR people, programmes, centres of excellence and systems represent the most integrated health research system in the world. For further information, visit the NIHR website (www.nihr.ac.uk).

6. The Medical Research Council has been at the forefront of scientific discovery to improve human health. Founded in 1913 to tackle tuberculosis, the MRC now invests taxpayers’ money in some of the best medical research in the world across every area of health. Twenty-nine MRC-funded researchers have won Nobel prizes in a wide range of disciplines, and MRC scientists have been behind such diverse discoveries as vitamins, the structure of DNA and the link between smoking and cancer, as well as achievements such as pioneering the use of randomised controlled trials, the invention of MRI scanning, and the development of a group of antibodies used in the making of some of the most successful drugs ever developed. Today, MRC-funded scientists tackle some of the greatest health problems facing humanity in the 21st century, from the rising tide of chronic diseases associated with ageing to the threats posed by rapidly mutating micro-organisms. www.mrc.ac.uk

New heart valve surgery gives hope to young cardiac patients

King’s College Hospital carries out world first procedure using “game-changing” new device that will benefit young active patients and those wanting to get pregnant

King’s College Hospital carries out world first procedure using “game-changing” new device that will benefit young active patients and those wanting to get pregnant.

King’s College Hospital in London has carried out the first aortic valve replacement using a new device that will benefit people with aortic valve disease, particularly women wanting to get pregnant and young patients who want to live an active life without having to take life-long medication.

Until now, patients below the age of 65 with a damaged aortic valve would have it replaced with a mechanical heart valve. Mechanical valves, made from metal, can last for many years but require patients to take life-long Warfarin to thin the blood because of the tendency for clots to form on the valve, which can cause a stroke. Blood thinning medication can cause problems during pregnancy and damage an unborn baby.

Biological heart valves, made from animal tissue, do not require patients to take blood thinning treatment but due to their tendency to need replacing regularly they were previously considered unsuitable for use in younger patients. However, for women wanting to get pregnant they were the best option available. Because of the limited durability of these devices, patients would require multiple heart operations over their lifetime. The new device, however, is expected to last up to 30 years before it needs replacing.

Twenty-seven year old Nosheen Khan from Croydon was the first patient in the world to be fitted with the new device. At the age of two she was diagnosed with aortic valve disease – a narrowing and leaking of the aortic valve in the heart. The condition restricts blood flow through the heart valve which means the heart has to squeeze harder to pump blood into the aorta. Over time, the condition can worsen and lead the sufferer to experience symptoms of heart failure such as shortness of breath.

Nosheen’s operation was carried out using minimally invasive techniques and as a result she was home five days after surgery. Nosheen said, Nosheen said, “I’m very keen to start a family with my husband Dr Saqib Haroon, so when Professor Wendler told us about this new device, we agreed it would be the best option for us. We are hopeful that the new valve will also prevent the need for numerous heart operations in the future.”

Olaf Wendler, Professor of Cardiac Surgery at King’s College Hospital, who carried out the procedure said, “Although we have been replacing damaged aortic valves for many years, this new device is a game-changer for patients who do not want to take blood thinning medication, especially women hoping to start a family.

“We have avoided using mechanical valve prostheses in this group of patients due to the problems associated with blood thinning medication and pregnancy, and have relied on biological prostheses with limited durability. As a consequence, younger patients have required multiple open heart surgeries. This new prosthesis combines the best from both devices; it’s durable and patients do not require blood thinning medication. This means fewer operations, the possibility of a healthy pregnancy and a good quality of life.”

Currently around 35,000 patients undergo open heart surgery on the aortic valve per year. Of those, approximately 40% are below the age of 65. Aortic valve replacement with a durable device not requiring anticoagulation treatment (Warfarin), could significantly improve patients’ quality of life and future prognosis.

For further information please contact:

Karen Welsh
Acting Head of Communications
karen.welsh2@nhs.net
Extension: +44 (0)20 3299 3850

Notes to editors

Our partnership brings together...

three of the UK’s leading NHS Foundation Trusts;
one of the top 30 universities in the world;
services provided over 225 locations, including seven hospitals and community and mental health centres;
2.2 million patient contacts each year;
31,000 staff;
25,000 students;
a combined annual turnover of £2.8bn.

... to advance health and wellbeing by integrating world-class research, care and teaching.

4. The new INSPIRIS RESILIA aortic valve has been developed by Edwards Lifesciences Ltd. It uses resilient bovine pericardial tissue which means patients do not have to take anticoagulation medicine.

King’s volunteers played vital role during major incidents

Volunteers at King’s College Hospital played a key role in helping the hospital’s response to the wave of incidents that have recently hit London.

Image of King's volunteers, Angela and William

Recognisable in their distinctive orange t-shirts or lanyards, the volunteers helped in many ways, from providing emotional and practical support to patients, families and those looking for their loved ones to managing enquiries about donations and distributing items that had been donated.

King’s – as one of the Capital’s four Major Trauma Centres – treated patients from the Westminster Bridge attack, London Bridge and Borough attacks, and the Grenfell Tower fire.

William Kwan, 70, from Brixton Hill, has been a King’s volunteer for a year. The former intensive care nurse, who trained as a hand massage volunteer, spends one afternoon a week at the hospital. Following the Grenfell Tower fire he helped to remove soot from children after they were brought to King’s.

Talking about the part he played, William said, “I was asked to help on the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU). When I went there, I saw children from the fire covered in soot – it was all over their hands.

“Two of us from the Volunteers’ Service went to the unit and carefully cleaned the hands of four children. We also spoke to their relatives who were visiting at the time. We wanted them to know how much we care.”

Another volunteer who helped following the Grenfell Tower fire was 69-year-old Angela Ingman from East Dulwich. Angela is a former King’s patient and worked for the charity Save the Children for 25 years. After retiring she decided to join the volunteering programme. Angela helped in the effort to reunite patients with their families the day after the fire.

Angela said, “There was an area set up in the hospital for families and friends looking for their loved ones. I helped serve tea and coffee to people who were waiting there for information. They were still shell-shocked from what had happened.

“There was a group of doctors, nurses, chaplains, paediatricians and psychologists in the room with me. We all worked together as a team to take the names of people who had arrived and then crossed-checked them with patients on the wards who were well enough to talk, and managed to reunite people.

“Volunteering at King’s is lovely. The people I help are often worried and anxious, and if I can ease that in any way it’s time well spent.”

Petula Storey, Head of Volunteering at King’s said, “I am proud of the volunteers who have provided support during the recent incidents. They have gone above and beyond their normal role and made such a difference to the patients and their families. We know our volunteers have a choice when it comes to volunteering, so we are honoured to have them as part of our team at King’s.”

King’s College Hospital was recently awarded a grant from Nesta, the innovation foundation, to encourage volunteering among the over 50s. With this funding, the hospital is looking to recruit more volunteers over 50 to help in the Emergency Department. For details of how to volunteer at King’s, or to request further information, email kch-tr.volunteers@nhs.net, phone 020 3299 5510 or visit https://www.kch.nhs.uk/about/get-involved/volunteering.

For further information please contact:

Karen Welsh
Acting Head of Communications
karen.welsh2@nhs.net
Extension: +44 (0)20 3299 3850

Notes to editors

Our partnership brings together...

three of the UK’s leading NHS Foundation Trusts;
one of the top 30 universities in the world;
services provided over 225 locations, including seven hospitals and community and mental health centres;
2.2 million patient contacts each year;
31,000 staff;
25,000 students;
a combined annual turnover of £2.8bn.

... to advance health and wellbeing by integrating world-class research, care and teaching.

Rare operation saves mum and new-born son

King's heart surgeon had only seen a case like this on three occasions in his 20-year career

Margaret with her son and partner, and the team who cared for them

A heavily pregnant woman from Folkestone in Kent has undergone a rare emergency operation to deliver her baby and repair a tear in her aorta to save both their lives.

The time-critical procedure took place at King’s College Hospital in London after Margaret Wang, who was 37 weeks pregnant, became unwell at home on the night of Thursday 22 June.

Ms Wang’s partner, Peter Warren, called the NHS 111 after she woke in the middle of the night with excruciating head and back pain. The helpline advised the couple to make their way to hospital without delay.

Medics at the William Harvey Hospital in Ashford carried out a CT scan, which identified a tear in Ms Wang’s aorta – the major artery that carries blood out of the heart and around the body. An aortic tear – also known as a dissection – can prove fatal if not detected and repaired quickly.

As a matter of urgency, Ms Wang was sent via blue-light ambulance with her husband, a midwife and a doctor to King’s College Hospital, which is a specialised cardiac centre in the treatment of aortic disease. When she arrived, a team of obstetricians, paediatricians, cardiothoracic surgeons, nurses and anaesthetists were waiting to get her into the operating theatre.

Once under general anaesthetic, the obstetricians worked quickly to perform a caesarean section and they delivered a baby boy. The baby required help with breathing and was put on a ventilator by the paediatrician. The cardiothoracic team, led by Olaf Wendler, Professor of Cardiac Surgery, then opened Ms Wang’s chest to replace part of her aorta.

Forty-two year old Margaret, who is originally from Los Angeles but has lived in the UK for the last 11 years, is now making an excellent recovery in hospital. Her baby son, who is yet to be named, is off the ventilator and is also doing well. She hopes they will be able to return home in the coming days to be reunited with Peter and their other son, two-year-old Wolfie.

Talking about her experience, Ms Wang said, “It all happened so quickly. I have high blood pressure but never thought this could happen.
“When I arrived at King’s, I was texting my family in the United States. I explained that I was undergoing an emergency heart operation and I didn’t know what the outcome would be. I told them I loved them - it was a very emotional time. At that point, Professor Wendler told me that I was going in to the operating theatre.

“The team operated for five hours to deliver my son and save my life. I can’t thank them enough for the amazing care they provided that night and continue to deliver to me and my son.

“The NHS is a precious resource. We have access to these amazing experts who do everything they can to save lives. We are very lucky indeed.”

Professor Wendler, who was called in to King’s to perform the live-saving operation, added, “In situations like this, time is absolutely critical. Once the baby was born we had a small window of time to repair the aortic dissection and prevent a catastrophic bleed.

“Pregnancy can make the tissues in the body softer, but for the aorta to tear like this is extremely rare. In my 20-year career, I’ve only seen aortic dissection in pregnant women on three occasions.

“I’m very proud that the whole team at King’s came together to provide the very best care for Margaret and her baby. This is the strength of the NHS and why we love our jobs.”

For further information please contact:

Karen Welsh
Acting Head of Communications
karen.welsh2@nhs.net
Extension: +44 (0)20 3299 3850

Notes to editors

Our partnership brings together...

three of the UK’s leading NHS Foundation Trusts;
one of the top 30 universities in the world;
services provided over 225 locations, including seven hospitals and community and mental health centres;
2.2 million patient contacts each year;
31,000 staff;
25,000 students;
a combined annual turnover of £2.8bn.

... to advance health and wellbeing by integrating world-class research, care and teaching.

King’s leads the way with new hepatitis treatment

The hospital is a national centre of excellence for liver conditions

King’s College Hospital is using new, licensed treatments, which have high cure rates and few side-effects, to treat Hepatitis C in the local community.

There is a high prevalence of Hepatitis C – a 'slow burning' inflammation of the liver – in Lambeth and Southwark. More than 6,500 people are thought to be living with the condition, according to figures from Public Health England. It is estimated that 58,000 people in London are infected with Hepatitis C. Forty percent of all cases are still undiagnosed.

The new therapy, which comes in tablet form rather than old-style injections, is extremely effective and better tolerated than the previous treatment - complete cure is possible in 95% of cases compared to around 50% of cases previously. The new treatment is easier for patients to tolerate and take - it has very few side-effects compared to the severe reactions associated with the old treatment, which included hair loss, limb swelling and extreme anxiety.

To celebrate the development in treatment and mark World Hepatitis Day, which falls on 28 July, King’s is highlighting the steps being taken to proactively tackle the high occurrence of Hepatitis C locally. Alongside other NHS organisations in south-east London and Kent, the hospital is engaged in a project to encourage people who might be at risk of Hepatitis C to get tested for the condition.

Dr Kosh Agarwal, Consultant Liver Specialist at King’s said, “Recently, there has been a step-change in the way we treat Hepatitis C. Advances have meant that treatment is quicker, more effective and has virtually no side-effects.

“But, as with many conditions, early detection is vital. Testing is quick and simple, and access to the new treatment is straightforward. I’d urge anyone who thinks they might have been exposed to the Hepatitis C virus or who is displaying symptoms, such as jaundice, extreme tiredness and stomach pain to go to their GP and ask to be tested.”

Mother of one, Ruth Holt, 66, from Camberwell contracted the infection in the 1970s when she was living in a commune in London where residents shared everything, including toothbrushes, razors and needles.

Talking about her diagnosis and treatment Ruth said, “I was checked for Hepatitis in the early 90s but testing wasn’t as accurate then and my results came back negative. My husband was tested a few years later and his results came back positive so I assumed I was too. We decided not to get help until the symptoms became really bad because we’d heard horror stories about the treatment’s side-effects.

“When we eventually did get treated the side-effects were horrific. I couldn’t walk, I felt sick and my mouth was covered in scabs. It did manage to clear the infection but I had a recurrence a few months later and was put on a clinical trial at King’s using the new treatment. The difference was phenomenal. I didn’t experience any adverse effects, in fact I slept much better, and the treatment worked. I’ve been clear of Hep C for 18 months – it’s amazing.”

If left untreated Hepatitis C can cause serious and potentially life-threatening damage to the liver. This stage, termed 'cirrhosis' is characterised by a yellowing of the skin and the whites of the eyes, known as jaundice.

Individuals who might have been exposed to Hepatitis C include those who received a blood transfusion before screening was introduced in 1991 or received blood products before 1986; people who have injected drugs or received piercings or tattoos or medical care with unsterilised equipment; people born or raised in a country with high prevalence Hepatitis C including countries in Africa, Asia and the Caribbean; those living in homeless hostels or sleeping on the streets; and men who have sex with men.

Transmission is through infected blood. Carriers can infect other people if they share anything that might have blood on such as a toothbrush or razor. Pregnant women with the virus can pass it on to their baby during pregnancy or childbirth.

King’s College Hospital also treats the other liver conditions, including Hepatitis B and fatty liver disease, and is one of the largest liver transplant units in Europe.

Karen Welsh
Acting Head of Communications
karen.welsh2@nhs.net
Extension: +44 (0)20 3299 3850

Our partnership brings together...

three of the UK’s leading NHS Foundation Trusts;
one of the top 30 universities in the world;
services provided over 225 locations, including seven hospitals and community and mental health centres;
2.2 million patient contacts each year;
31,000 staff;
25,000 students;
a combined annual turnover of £2.8bn.

... to advance health and wellbeing by integrating world-class research, care and teaching.

Published Date: Friday 28 July 2017 09:18

King’s Volunteers win Lammy Award for major incidents role

The King's Volunteers have been awarded the Lammy Award for Kindness by NHS Lambeth CCG for their support in the wake of recent major incidents

The Lammy Awards were launched by Lambeth CCG in 2015, and seek to recognise NHS and council staff, health and care teams and individuals who live and work in the borough who go the extra mile to support the health and care of others.

King’s – as one of the Capital’s four Major Trauma Centres – treated patients from the Westminster Bridge attack, London Bridge and Borough attacks, and the Grenfell Tower fire.

Recognisable in their distinctive orange t-shirts or lanyards, the Volunteers helped in many ways, from providing emotional and practical support to patients, families and those looking for their loved ones to managing enquiries about donations and distributing items that had been donated.

Another Volunteer who helped following the Grenfell Tower fire was 69-year-old Angela Ingman from East Dulwich. Angela is a former King’s patient and worked for the charity Save the Children for 25 years. After retiring she decided to join the Volunteering programme. Angela helped in the effort to reunite patients with their families the day after the fire.

“Volunteering at King’s is lovely. The people I help are often worried and anxious, and if I can ease that in any way it’s time well spent.”

A third Volunteer, architect Paul Strapmanis, has been volunteering for two years after being treated at King’s following a serious car accident. He volunteers on the acute surgical ward where he was treated as a way of saying thank you. Paul comes in each Tuesday evening after his day job to volunteer for an evening shift on the ward. During his shifts immediately after the attacks, he stayed far beyond the end of his allotted three hours so the patients had someone to talk to.

Petula Storey, Head of Volunteering at King’s said, “This award is extremely-well-deserved, and I am very proud of the Volunteers who have gone above and beyond their normal role and made such a difference to the patients and their families. We know our Volunteers have a choice when it comes to volunteering, so we are honoured to have them as part of our team at King’s.”

Ellie Whitehouse
Senior Communications Officer
eleanor.morton@nhs.net
Extension: +44 (0)20 3299 4139

Our partnership brings together...

three of the UK’s leading NHS Foundation Trusts;
one of the top 30 universities in the world;
services provided over 225 locations, including seven hospitals and community and mental health centres;
2.2 million patient contacts each year;
31,000 staff;
25,000 students;
a combined annual turnover of £2.8bn.

... to advance health and wellbeing by integrating world-class research, care and teaching.

Published Date: Friday 08 September 2017 08:45

World Arthritis Day: King’s musculo-skeletal service praised

King’s MSK – the musculo-skeletal service for patients in Bexley, run by King’s College Hospital – has gained consistently high levels of feedback

King’s MSK – the musculo-skeletal service for patients in Bexley, run by King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust – has gained consistently high levels of patient feedback since opening in 2014.

The service offers an integrated approach to the management of musculoskeletal conditions with specialists in pain management, rheumatology, orthopaedics and therapies including physiotherapy, hand therapy and podiatry, working closely together.

By offering these services from three sites in the London Borough of Bexley – Queen Mary’s Hospital in Sidcup, Erith and District Hospital, and Lakeside Medical Practice in Thamesmead – patients do not need to travel further afield to access the treatment they need.

The service consistently achieves high levels of feedback from patients, with over 90% of those treated regularly stating that they felt involved in their care, were treated with dignity and respect, and that the reception staff treated them with kindness and understanding.

King’s MSK was also recently awarded The Bexley Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) Mystery Shopper award for the second year in a row.

The Bexley CCG mystery shopper scheme was launched in 2014 to enable patients to have a greater say in the healthcare services they receive. In the scheme, any patient living in the borough of Bexley is able to send anonymous feedback to the CCG about the quality of any healthcare service they experience.

Winners of the mystery shopper awards are chosen from services that go ‘the extra mile’ and are rated highly for manner, attitude and environment.

31-year-old Shelley Marsh (pictured) from Erith had a hip replacement via King’s MSK in December 2016 after a number of injuries to the bones in her legs and ankles led to her hip joint becoming damaged.

“The King’s MSK service was brilliant – I was looked after really well,” she explains. “It’s all close to home, which makes it much more convenient, and I could have my operation at Orpington Hospital, which was better than going all the way into London.

“My surgeon and the team that cared for me were brilliant, as were the physiotherapists that helped me get back on my feet after the surgery.

“Ten months on, I still have exercises to do at home to keep my hip joint mobile, but I’m back to work again and leading a normal life. I can’t thank the King’s MSK team enough.”

Danielle Moore, who worked at King’s as a physiotherapist before becoming Operations Lead for King’s MSK, said: “We’re very proud of the positive feedback the service has gained from patients in the three years we’ve been open – this is testament to the hard work of the whole team.

“Our aim is to provide convenient and timely treatment for patients in Bexley with bone or muscle problems, and we hope to continue receiving positive comments as our patient numbers increase.”

Treatment at King’s MSK for patients who live in the borough of Bexley is available via GP referral. For more information, visit www.kingsmsk.nhs.uk.

Ellie Whitehouse
Senior Communications Officer
eleanor.whitehouse@nhs.net
Extension: +44 (0)20 3299 4139

Our partnership brings together...

three of the UK’s leading NHS Foundation Trusts;
one of the top 30 universities in the world;
services provided over 225 locations, including seven hospitals and community and mental health centres;
2.2 million patient contacts each year;
31,000 staff;
25,000 students;
a combined annual turnover of £2.8bn.

... to advance health and wellbeing by integrating world-class research, care and teaching.

Published Date: Thursday 12 October 2017 11:00

From roof-side to recovery

40-year-old man air lifted to King’s after breaking every bone in his face

Last Tuesday (17 October), 40-year-old Tom Locke, from Hythe in Kent, the director of a construction company and father of two with a third child on the way, fell three stories from the roof of his house while trying to remove nesting pigeons from behind solar panels.

He landed on the patio on his left-hand-side and fractured every bone in his face, as well as sustaining an open femoral fracture, a fractured wrist and forearm, a dislocated elbow and severe haemorrhaging.

His partner, Lydia Clark, heard the fall, rushed outside to find Tom on the patio and called an ambulance. After describing Tom’s injuries to the 999 call operator the decision was made to send an air ambulance, which arrived around 20 minutes later. Tom was intubated at the scene, and arrived on the helipad at King’s around 25 minutes later.

Following stabilisation in the Emergency Department Tom was moved to the Intensive Care Unit and the next day had his femur fixed, wrist set and was given a tracheostomy so he could be woken up. He has since undergone 10 hours of facial reconstruction and is making a good recovery.

Tom said: “Without the helipad I probably would have died, so I’m so grateful for King’s and the air ambulance crew for saving my life. You really don’t realise how crucial it is until you need it – thankfully my boys and unborn child still have their daddy.”

Lydia added: “Without the helipad Tom may not have made it in time. This whole experience has had such a dramatic effect on all our lives, and thanks to the helipad and team at King’s our family has been kept together. Looking back I can see how much difference the extra minutes the helipad saves can make – the traffic near King’s was so bad on the day that Tom was brought in that I ended up getting out of the car and running to the hospital.”

Mr Rob Bentley, Consultant Craniofacial Surgeon at King’s and Clinical Director for The South East London Kent and Medway (SELKaM) Major Trauma Network, said: “Tom’s story is a prime example of ‘Time is Life’ – the campaign we launched to raise money to build the helipad – as it demonstrates the importance of getting critically injured patients into King's Trauma Centre and receiving specialist care as soon as possible. We receive some of the most seriously injured patients in the south east, and the helipad means that these patients are now receiving equity of access to the care they urgently require despite the distances involved, thanks to the helipad and air ambulance service.”

A year ago today (26 October) the helipad at King’s College Hospital officially opened. The helipad has already saved lives, helping the hospital serve its trauma population of 4.5 million people across south east London and Kent. In the last year alone 162 patients have been brought to King’s by air ambulance.

Since its opening the helipad has had a massive impact, significantly decreasing the time it takes to transfer patients from the scene of an accident by helicopter to the Emergency Department. Before the helipad opened helicopters landed in nearby Ruskin Park and patients were transferred to the Emergency Department by road – adding a further 25 minutes to the patient’s journey, time that is now being saved.

Molly Downing
Communications Officer
molly.downing@nhs.net
Extension: +44 (0)20 3299 3257

Our partnership brings together...

three of the UK’s leading NHS Foundation Trusts;
one of the top 30 universities in the world;
services provided over 225 locations, including seven hospitals and community and mental health centres;
2.2 million patient contacts each year;
31,000 staff;
25,000 students;
a combined annual turnover of £2.8bn.

... to advance health and wellbeing by integrating world-class research, care and teaching.

Published Date: Thursday 26 October 2017 11:17

HIV testing in A&E diagnoses 32 cases in first year

Testing pilot funded by the Elton John AIDS Foundation will now become routine at the hospital

A 12-month HIV testing pilot in King’s College Hospital’s Emergency Department (ED) has identified 32 new cases of the condition.

In 2016, the hospital began screening all adult patients in the ED requiring a blood test. In total, 24,037 patients were tested. The aim of the pilot was to decrease the frequency of late HIV diagnoses in Lambeth and Southwark, two boroughs recognised as having the highest prevalence of the condition in the UK.

Patients diagnosed with HIV are given support and advice, and put on treatment plans to manage their condition. Around half of patients who tested positive as a result of the pilot were considered late diagnoses and would have been at high risk of developing AIDS, which would have significantly lowered their life expectancy had they not have been started on antiretroviral medication. Three patients who had previously been diagnosed but had not received any follow-up care were also put on treatment programmes.

The testing initiative, which was launched as the result of a funding grant from the Elton John AIDS Foundation, will now continue indefinitely at the hospital.

Dr Killian Quinn, Consultant in Sexual Health at King’s College Hospital said, “This type of testing is really good news for patients. It’s quick, easy, and results come back within a few days, which enable us to put patients on medication without delay.

“When HIV is detected and treated early, antiretroviral medication can be so effective the virus can become undetectable in some patients, meaning they can no longer pass the virus on to others.

“With the sophisticated medicines now available, HIV is no longer a death sentence but a treatable condition. One of the most common reasons people develop complications is because they don’t know they have the infection. Our universal testing scheme is a big step forward in addressing this issue.”

One of the patients who has benefitted from the universal testing scheme is Chris Marsh* from Walworth. Chris was diagnosed with HIV in March 2017 after being tested in the Emergency Department at King’s. The lawyer, who is in his late twenties, said, “I began to feel unwell last autumn but work had been very busy and I’d been putting in long hours so I put it down to exhaustion. Then, in February, I had what I thought was a bad case of flu. I saw my GP who suggested I go to King’s. They did a blood test in the Emergency Department and the results came back a few days later.

“Initially, I was in shock but the sexual health team at King’s have been incredibly supportive and talked me through everything. They carried out further blood tests and I was started on a treatment plan two weeks later. They also signposted me to sources of advice and support, which I could access when I felt ready. Nine months on and I’m feeling much better, and thanks to the antiviral medication my HIV infection is at an undetectable level.

“Getting diagnosed early has given me a second chance, and helped me avoid a situation worse that being infected with HIV - being responsible for passing it onto someone else. I’m very grateful to King’s for everything they’ve done for me and to the Elton John AIDS Foundation for enabling my swift diagnosis.”

Dr Quinn added, “We remain incredibly grateful to the Elton John AIDS Foundation for helping us get this project off the ground. It has undoubtedly helped to save lives.”

National HIV Testing Week begins on Saturday 18 November. To find out where to get a free HIV test visit https://www.startswithme.org.uk/.

* The patient’s name and details have been changed to protect his confidentiality.

Karen Welsh
Acting Head of Communications
karen.welsh2@nhs.net
Extension: +44 (0)20 3299 3850

Our partnership brings together...

three of the UK’s leading NHS Foundation Trusts;
one of the top 30 universities in the world;
services provided over 225 locations, including seven hospitals and community and mental health centres;
2.2 million patient contacts each year;
31,000 staff;
25,000 students;
a combined annual turnover of £2.8bn.

... to advance health and wellbeing by integrating world-class research, care and teaching.

Published Date: Monday 20 November 2017 14:49

Surgeon reunited with youngest liver transplant patient

Professor Mohamed Rela operated on Baebhen Schutkke when she was just five days old setting a record that still stands today

Baebhen Schutkke with Rays of Sunshine team

A King’s surgeon has been reunited with a young woman he operated on 20 years ago when she was just five days old.

Baebhen Schutkke was born in Dublin with a rare genetic condition called haemochromatosis, which causes dangerous levels of iron to build up in the body damaging the liver and other organs.

Following her birth, a donor organ was found for Baebhen and she was transferred to King’s where Professor Rela was waiting to carry out the transplant. He said, “This is an operation I will never forget. If we hadn’t have operated she would have died. I didn’t have time to think about the risks. And it never occurred to me that she would be the youngest in the world until someone suggested that possibility a few weeks later.”

Baebhen, a law student, said, “It has been so amazing to come back to where my life was saved all those years ago. It wouldn’t have been possible without the parents of a tragic boy donating his liver and the skills of Prof Rela and his team.”

Professor Rela added, “She is fine, fit and healthy and an amazing advert for the longevity of transplants. Patients worry their liver will wear out after five or ten years. If you avoid the problems of rejection the future is good.”

While at King’s, Baebhen met children on the ward who had recently had a transplant to give them hope for the future. She was also reunited with some of the doctors and nurses who cared for her 20 years ago.

Baebhen added, “I always think about how lucky I have been to have been brought to King’s and to have that remarkable operation. Coming back to the ward where I stayed after the transplant has been amazing.”

Karen Welsh
Acting Head of Communications
karen.welsh2@nhs.net
Extension: +44 (0)20 3299 3850

Our partnership brings together...

three of the UK’s leading NHS Foundation Trusts;
one of the top 30 universities in the world;
services provided over 225 locations, including seven hospitals and community and mental health centres;
2.2 million patient contacts each year;
31,000 staff;
25,000 students;
a combined annual turnover of £2.8bn.

... to advance health and wellbeing by integrating world-class research, care and teaching.

Published Date: Monday 27 November 2017 17:37

Young patient saved by emergency thrombectomy at King's

The procedure reversed the patient’s paralysis instantly

Back in February this year, 31-year-old Kirsty Mills, an interior designer from Blackheath, collapsed while in the shower.

Her partner, Sandy Batchelor, found her after hearing the thud when she fell and called an ambulance.

Kirsty had paralysis to her left side, slurred speech and a drooping lip. She was rushed to King’s College Hospital where they performed a head scan straightaway. They discovered a blood clot in a large artery in her brain and she was diagnosed with a stroke, affecting a considerable part of her brain.

Kirsty received an emergency thrombectomy immediately. A thrombectomy involves inserting a catheter into a major blood vessel in the groin, which reaches up to the brain to remove the blood clot.

Once the clot was removed Kirsty felt normal immediately, and regained the movement in the left side of her body.

Kirsty said: “At first it felt like I was drunk, and then like I was having an outer-body experience – I could hear everyone talking but it didn’t feel real. When the clot came free I felt better straight away physically, although I was a little bit tired and dizzy.

“I feel so lucky to have been treated by Dr Booth and his team at King’s. They acted so quickly to save my life, I really can’t thank them enough.”

Dr Thomas Booth, Consultant Interventional and Diagnostic Neuroradiologist at King’s, said: “Before this procedure, patients who suffered from this type of stroke would have undoubtedly been paralysed, or sometimes may have even died. Occasionally thrombectomy can result in the ‘Lazarus effect’ - if the clot is removed quickly enough all the symptoms of the stroke disappear immediately.

“I’m delighted that Kirsty has made such a good recovery – she is living proof of the effectiveness of this treatment.

“Recent evidence has shown that a thrombectomy performed within six hours of onset is much more likely to be beneficial than using clot busting drugs alone when large arteries are blocked. We urge our fellow healthcare professionals to be aware of this so patients can be brought to a centre such as ours as quickly as possible.”

King’s is one of eight specialist stroke centres across London.

Patients who come into King’s via the Emergency Department are assessed by the on-call Stroke Team, who ensure patients have a head scan and diagnosis within 30 minutes of arrival.

Once stroke is confirmed, patients are transferred to our Hyper Acute Stroke Unit for immediate treatment.

Molly Downing
Communications Officer
molly.downing@nhs.net
Extension: +44 (0)20 3299 3257

Our partnership brings together...

three of the UK’s leading NHS Foundation Trusts;
one of the top 30 universities in the world;
services provided over 225 locations, including seven hospitals and community and mental health centres;
2.2 million patient contacts each year;
31,000 staff;
25,000 students;
a combined annual turnover of £2.8bn.

... to advance health and wellbeing by integrating world-class research, care and teaching.

Published Date: Tuesday 28 November 2017 16:19

King's building biggest Critical Care Centre in the UK

Revolutionary design will combine technology, art and architecture to set a new global standard in patient care

Artist's impression of new critical care centre

King’s College Hospital in south London is in the process of building a state-of-the-art 60-bed Critical Care Centre which, when added to the existing Critical Care wards at the Trust, will be the largest and most progressive of its kind in the UK.

The new £100m unit will open in two stages: the first in summer 2018 and the second in early 2020, and will bring the total number of critical care beds at the Trust to over 120.

Feedback from patients who have been treated in critical care has been incorporated into the new centre. The innovative design will not only comprise the latest technology over two floors but will also focus on space and light. The building will have floor to ceiling windows overlooking Ruskin Park. Patients will have control of their environment, allowing them to move the position of their bed to face the window or turn inwards to be with family and friends.

Each bed space will be separated by glass partitions with internal blinds for privacy, while computer screens and monitoring equipment will be suspended from the ceiling and mobile, reducing clutter and helping visitors to get closer to patients. Powerful computers will have a vital clinical role will improve our patients environment with their music, pictures and films. They will also enable patients to see family and friends and interact with them even if their loved ones are unable to visit in person.

The hospital is currently fundraising to create a unique roof garden to help critically unwell patients who suffer common side-effects, such as delirium. The King’s College Hospital Charity has already pledged £1m to the appeal leaving £1.6m still to be raised. The garden will be fully equipped to enable patients – even those on life support – to be taken outside for fresh air to enhance the recovery process.

Dr Tom Best, Consultant in Critical Care at King’s, said “Some of our most unwell patients spend weeks or even months in critical care while they recover from life-threatening conditions. We know from feedback that a significant number of patients suffer from delirium as they drift in and out of consciousness, which can be very frightening and can delay recovery.

“During these prolonged hospital stays it’s vital that we care for the mind as well as the body. The new centre will use art and furnishings to create a more calming, less apparently clinical and frightening environment while still offering the latest advances in technology. This will enable staff to treat the patients with the very best equipment, and help patients stay in touch with the outside world to aid their recovery.”

As a Major Trauma Centre caring for some of the most critically unwell patients in London, King’s has five existing critical care wards at the hospital. This includes a paediatric intensive care unit, a specialist liver intensive care ward and three general adult critical care wards, which care for patients with an array of conditions including brain injuries, strokes, cardiac arrests and trauma injuries.

King’s College Hospital provides critical care for over 5,000 people who urgently require lifesaving medical treatment. Last year, the hospital received patients from the Westminster Bridge attack, the London Bridge and Borough Market attack, and the Grenfell Tower fire. From these incidents, King’s cared for 32 patients; 15 of whom were looked after in critical care.

Dr Best added, “As last year’s major incidents demonstrated, there’s a real need to provide the highest level of emergency and ongoing intensive care to give patients the very best chance of survival. At King’s, we’re very proud that our critical care service is consistently at the top in terms of survival, and our new centre will allow us to extend our expertise to even more people in London and beyond.”

For further information on the roof garden fundraising appeal, or to make a donation, visit http://www.supportkings.org.uk/get-involved/kings-critical-care-appeal/

Karen Welsh
Acting Head of Communications
karen.welsh2@nhs.net
Extension: +44 (0)20 3299 3850

1. The total number of critical care beds referred to above include those at the Princess Royal University Hospital, which is part of King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.

2. King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is one of the UK’s largest and busiest teaching hospitals, training over 900 dentists, 750 doctors and 300 nurses every year. The Trust is recognized internationally for its work in liver disease and transplantation, neurosciences, cardiac, haemato-oncology, stroke and major trauma. On 1 October 2013, King’s took over the running of the Princess Royal University Hospital in Bromley and Orpington Hospital, as well as some services at Beckenham Beacon and Queen Mary’s Hospital, Sidcup. The new enlarged organisation has over 10,500 staff and provides over 1 million patient contacts a year. 9,000 babies are delivered by our hospitals each year, and over 750 patients come to our Emergency Departments every day. For more information, please visit the website. You can also support the work of King’s College Hospital at www.togetherwecan.org.uk

3. King’s Health Partners Academic Health Sciences Centre (AHSC) is a pioneering collaboration between King’s College London, and Guy’s and St Thomas’, King’s College Hospital and South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trusts.

Our partnership brings together...

three of the UK’s leading NHS Foundation Trusts;
one of the top 30 universities in the world;
services provided over 225 locations, including seven hospitals and community and mental health centres;
2.2 million patient contacts each year;
31,000 staff;
25,000 students;
a combined annual turnover of £2.8bn.

... to advance health and wellbeing by integrating world-class research, care and teaching.

4. At King’s College Hospital we fundraise for the best in treatment, research and health education, leading-edge equipment and improving well-being in our communities. By uniting doctors, nurses, researchers and academics with our supporters and volunteers we can provide the best patient care that goes above and beyond. Find out more and support us at togetherwecan.org.uk

Published Date: Monday 26 March 2018 13:44