Measles in the community

King’s College Hospital and Princess Royal University Hospital report spike in cases

Two major NHS hospitals have reported an increase in the number of people presenting with the highly contagious, and potentially life-threatening, measles virus.

King’s College Hospital (KCH) in Camberwell and the Princess Royal University Hospital (PRUH) in Farnborough, both part of King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, have seen an increase in patients with the virus, with six confirmed cases at the PRUH, two at KCH and further cases suspected.

Measles, characterised by a rash, is a highly contagious virus that can be contracted by direct contact with an infected person or by them coughing and sneezing and infecting the air. Other symptoms include a runny nose, red eyes, a cough, inflamed tonsils, small white spots inside the cheeks, an increasing high temperature.

Roxanne Mohammad-Klein, Deputy Director of Infection Control at King’s said, “We have recently seen an increase in measles at the hospital. Although most cases can be successfully treated some patients experience life-threatening complications such as pneumonia and brain swelling.

“The tell-tale sign of measles is a rash that starts behind the ears and spreads over the face and body. The rash consists of flat red or brown blotches which can flow into each other and it feels bumpy when you run your fingers over it.

“When a patient comes to us with suspected measles we follow established protocols which include isolating the patient and testing them at the earliest opportunity.

“If you suspect that you or a member of your family has measles you should phone (not visit) your GP without delay. Because the virus is highly contagious, please avoid going to hospital where there are other patients – such as those with low immune systems and pregnant women – who could suffer complications if they came into contact with an infected person.”

Measles can be caught at any age but is most commonly found in children aged 1-4 who have not been immunised. There has also been an increase in people presenting with scarlet fever.

For further information on the condition and immunisation visit https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/measles/.

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 supportkings.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 supportkings.org.uk

King’s neurosurgeon named Clinician of the Year

Professor Keyoumars Ashkan honoured by The Brain Tumour Charity

A professor of neurosurgery at King’s College Hospital has been named UK Clinician of the Year by The Brain Tumour Charity.

Professor Keyoumars Ashkan, who has worked at King’s for 11 years and is the lead surgeon for brain cancer at the hospital, was honoured for his work with brain tumour patients. The award recognised his contribution to improving patients’ quality of life and for conducting research to find new therapies.

When making their decision, The Brain Tumour Charity looked for a clinician who had shown an exceptional level of commitment in supporting the charity’s work, and had gone above and beyond to advance brain tumour treatments. The judging panel comprised patients, their relatives and charity representatives who collectively voted for a winner.

Dr David Jenkinson, from The Brain Tumour Charity, said, “As Chief Scientific Officer at the charity, I whole-heartedly believe that science is critical to defeating this disease. But I also believe that collaboration is key; everyone plays a part in making change happen and helping improve life for those affected by a brain tumour.

“That’s what Professor Keyoumars Ashkan is doing. Improving care and treatment through his position; he is committed to making a critical change and driving it forward. We are honoured that Professor Ashkan is the winner of the Clinician of the Year Award.”

On receiving the accolade, Professor Ashkan said, “It is an honour and true privilege to win this award as it is judged and decided by patients, carers, charities and public - all the people we work hard to serve.”

Professor Julia Wendon, Executive Medical Director at King’s College Hospital, added, “This award is deserved recognition of Professor Ashkan’s unfaltering commitment to his patients and his tireless research into advancing treatments for brain cancer.”

Professor Ashkan has made contributions to a number of largescale national clinical trials including the GALA BIDD and GALA5 trials, which used fluorescence (the emission of light) to diagnose brain cancer and guide tumour removal respectively. He was also the lead clinician for a trial which used immunotherapy to treat brain cancer and is currently working on trials investigating the imaging of tumours and radiotherapy for meningioma (tumours that form on membrane covering the brain and spinal cord just inside the skull).

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.supportkings.org.uk

2. A video featuring Prof Ashkan is available on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZhsoFmmbIos

3. The Brain Tumour Charity aims to double survival rates and halve the negative impact that brain tumours have on quality of life.

4. 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.

5. 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

Trust appoints Peter Herring as Interim Chief Executive

Peter Herring has been appointed Interim Chief Executive for King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Peter Herring has been appointed Interim Chief Executive for King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. He will join the Trust on Wednesday 9 May 2018.

“With over thirty-five years’ experience of working in the NHS, I am very pleased that Peter is joining King’s,” commented Ian Smith, Interim Chairman, King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. “His passion for patient care and public health coupled with a proven track record of strong leadership, performance improvement and financial expertise that will strengthen the existing leadership team. He will play a pivotal role in moving the Trust onto a more robust and sustainable financial and performance footing.”

Peter has spent his entire career in public health and financial management particularly within the NHS. His last Chief Executive role was interim Chief Executive of Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHSFT where he helped move the Trust out of special measures. Previously he has been Chief Executive at Shrewsbury & Telford Hospital NHS Trust, Countess of Chester NHS Foundation Trust and Liverpool Women’s Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.

“I am delighted to have been given the opportunity to undertake the role of interim Chief Executive at King’s until a substantive appointment is made later in the year,” added Peter. “And I very much look forward to meeting the staff and rest of the team at the Trust.”

The Trust has launched its search for a permanent Chief Executive Officer.

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

Brain cancer clinical trial shows promising results

Professor Keyoumars Ashkan, Professor of Neurosurgery at King’s, is the European Chief Investigator for the trial

A vaccine using patients’ immune cells to target brain cancer can extend survival by many months or even years in some cases, the new trial results suggest.

The trial has been running for ten years and involves more than 300 patients from the UK, the US, Canada and Germany – all of whom had been diagnosed with glioblastoma, the most aggressive form of adult brain tumour.

The early findings were published yesterday (29 May) in the Journal of Translational Medicine. Patients who took part in the trial, the largest so far of an immunotherapy vaccine (DCVax-®L) survived for more than 23 months on average following surgery.

Of the 331 people who took part in the trial, almost one third (100) are classed as ‘extended survivors’ who at the time of the researchers’ analysis had lived for 40.5 months on average following surgery. The longest survivors have lived for more than seven years after surgery.

Unlike chemotherapy and radiotherapy, the immunotherapy vaccine caused no reported side effects in the vast majority of patients. Only seven of the 331 patients who took part reported any significant adverse effects which may have been related to their treatment.

Professor Ashkan, Professor of Neurosurgery at King’s, said: “The interim results of this phase 3 trial give new hope to the patients and clinicians battling with this terrible disease.

“Although definitive judgment needs to be reserved until the final data is available, the paper published today hints at a major breakthrough in the treatment of patients with glioblastoma.

“This is significant and much-needed, given that the last widely accepted major advancement in the field occurred over a decade ago.

“Cautious optimism is welcome in an area where for so long the disease and suffering have had the upper hand.”

DCVax-®L has been developed by US company Northwest Biotherapeutics. It is created for each patient individually by isolating specific immune cells, known as dendritic cells, from his or her blood.

These cells are then primed with biomarkers from a sample of the patient’s tumour. When the vaccine containing the cells is injected back into the patient, they share that information so that the body’s entire immune system recognises the target to attack.

All of the participants in the trial underwent the standard treatment for glioblastoma of surgery followed by radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

Two thirds (232 patients) were then injected regularly with DCVax-®L along with further chemotherapy (temozolomide).

The remaining third were given a placebo - an indistinguishable and harmless substitute for the vaccine - along with temozolomide.

Neither the patients nor the clinicians involved knew which participants were being given the vaccine and which the placebo.

However, every patient whose tumour recurred during the trial was automatically offered DCVax-®L, so that almost nine out of ten of all trial participants (86.4%) received the vaccine at some point.

The researchers call for further follow-up and analysis, but conclude that ‘the patients in this Phase 3 trial are living longer than expected’.

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

International Clinical Trials Day at King's

Events were held across the Trust to mark International Clinical Trials Day

Researchers, clinicians and health and social care staff celebrated clinical research at King’s for this year’s International Clinical Trials Day.

The annual awareness day on 20 May marks the work of James Lind who held the first clinical trial in 1747 on board the HMS Salisbury when he experimented with different remedies for helping 12 men with scurvy. The Scottish Physician found that sailors given citrus fruits made an impressive recovery compared to the other treatments.

There was a randomised clinical trial involving jelly beans to celebrate International Clinical Trials Day at King's College Hospital this year and researchers from across the Trust demonstrated how they’re developing the treatments of the future through research.

The Princess Royal University Hospital (PRUH) had several stalls where members of the public could find out more about current research studies in different specialties.

Ann-Marie Murtagh, Director of R&D operations at King’s, said "International Clinical Trials Day across King’s was a huge success - with many research stalls that had been very thoughtfully put together. It was an extremely well attended day, a great opportunity for networking amongst research teams and trust staff and also for real patient and public engagement."

Every year, more than half a million people help the NHS to improve healthcare and develop life-saving treatments by taking part in research.

This year the NHS is turning 70, which is a good opportunity to celebrate the important role that research plays within the health service. Research in the NHS has consistently improved treatments for patients over the last 70 years having a positive impact on many people’s lives.

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

Nick Boles MP officially opens haematology unit at King’s

Mr Boles was first patient to be treated in the ambulatory facility

Conservative MP Nick Boles opened a new haematology unit at King’s College Hospital after being the very first patient to be treated in it.

The Member of Parliament for Grantham and Stamford, who lives in Camberwell, received a bone marrow transplant for non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 2017 and is now cancer-free.

The new facility, called Leukaemia UK Ambulatory Care Unit, treats a range of malignant haematological conditions including myeloma (bone marrow cancer), lymphoma (lymphatic cancer) and leukaemia (blood cancer).

The unit is used to deliver bone marrow transplants and chemotherapy in an outpatient setting, enabling patients to remain in their homes or hotel close by rather than requiring a hospital admission.

Talking about the opening of the unit, Nick Boles MP, said, “I am delighted to be opening King’s College Hospital’s Ambulatory Care Unit. Being offered the chance to be the unit’s first patient made a huge difference to my quality of life during my stem cell transplant allowing me to live at home and come in each day for tests and treatment. It’s a great step forward for patient care at King’s.”

Dr Victoria Potter, Consultant Haematologist and Transplant Director at King’s College Hospital, added, “Patients have told us they would rather avoid a hospital admission if possible, which is why we have developed this new unit. When it is deemed safe for a patient to receive care as an outpatient they come in for treatment, are closely monitored and then able to go home later the same day. This will enhance the care we provide and will allow us to treat even more patients.

“We are very grateful to Leukaemia UK and the Lions International Blood Research Appeal (LIBRA) for funding the new unit, and we are delighted that Mr Boles has come back to King’s to officially open it after his successful treatment here.”

Angela Smith-Morgan, Chief Executive of Leukaemia UK, said, “We are delighted to have funded this transformational unit which is already making a positive difference to patients affected by blood cancer. Leukaemia UK is proud to have continuously supported and helped transform King’s haematology department into a world class centre of excellence since 1977.”

Andrew Lodge, Chairman of the Lions International Blood Research Appeal (LIBRA), attended the opening and said, “LIBRA Trustees were delighted to cover the cost of specialist equipment for this fantastic new unit which is benefiting many patients. We would like to thank all our supporters for their fundraising efforts and the Lions Clubs International Foundation who provided a generous grant. The official opening has been a very special occasion, marking a great achievement. It is wonderful to know that MP Nick Boles received lifesaving treatment here and there will no doubt be many more patients who follow in his footsteps.”

King’s is a leading national and international centre for the diagnosis and treatment of blood cancers. The hospital has the largest bone marrow transplant programme in the UK and performs more than 200 transplants a year.

King’s is also an international centre for research into and the treatment of myeloid leukaemias, lymphomas and myeloma. King's has the first immune gene therapy programme for leukaemia approved by the Gene Therapy Advisory Committee (GTAC) and is developing the use of novel agents including chimeric antigen receptor T-cells for the treatment of a variety of blood cancers. The hospital carries out numerous national and international studies, which gives patients access to innovative treatments.

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.supportkings.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 supportkings.org.uk

BBC documentary at King’s celebrating 70 years of the NHS

King's has worked with the BBC on a two-part documentary which will be broadcast on BBC One on 28 June and 5 July at 9pm

This July marks 70 years since the creation of the NHS and to mark the milestone King’s has worked with the BBC on a two-part documentary, which will be broadcast on BBC One on the 28 June and 5 July at 9pm.

The documentary, Celebrities On The NHS Frontline, features four well-known faces who spent time shadowing different teams across the hospital. Reporter Stacey Dooley, medical journalist Michael Mosley, Paralympic Gold medallist Jonnie Peacock and ex-politician Ann Widdecombe learn first-hand about the challenges faced by NHS staff at King’s, and explore what drives them to work as hard as they do to deliver outstanding levels of care.

Chloe Battle, Cardiac Physiologist, who features in the documentary alongside Stacey Dooley, said about taking part in the filming: “It was really exciting to be involved in the programme and showcase the amazing work we’re doing at King’s. It was great to be able to work with Stacey, showing her the ropes and explaining what my role is as well as letting her see first-hand the life-saving work that goes on in the cardiac catheter labs.”

Michael Mosley trained to be a doctor in the early 1980s and thirty years on the programme shows him working alongside junior doctors at King’s in the busy Emergency Department. Michael finds out how different life is now in a major trauma centre.

Ex-politician Ann Widdecombe worked as a Domestic in a cottage hospital whilst she was a student in the 1970s, and she was Shadow Health Secretary between 1998 and 1999. At King’s, Ann gets to work alongside nurses in urgent care, and with the clinical site managers – looking at how beds are managed across the hospital.

As a child Stacey Dooley spent a lot of time in and out hospital because of a heart murmur. At King’s she gets a chance to work in the heart attack centre - the first in the country to treat heart attacks whilst they're taking place. Stacey looks at the health of the nation and the effect it has on NHS services. She also works with health care assistants in King’s world-renowned liver unit. Stacey aims to discover the ethical dilemma faced by staff as they make life and death decisions.

At the age of five Jonnie Peacock had meningitis and lost his lower right leg as a result. He had almost a dozen operations but has no idea what goes on in theatre. Working alongside theatre support workers at King’s means he’s able to find out. He also works with some of the most vulnerable patients in the hospital - those in the Children’s Wards, and the play specialists who work hard to improve a child’s time in hospital.

The four celebrities spent time in a number of departments across the hospital, including neurosurgery, liver, paediatrics, cardiology, emergency medicine, maxillofacial surgery and clinical site management, to shine a light on the amazing work they all do.

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

Programmable tech used at King’s to control seizures

First operation of its type in Europe for Surrey school boy

King’s College Hospital in south London has become the first centre in Europe to implant a new generation brain stimulation device that uses scheduled programming to suppress the frequency and severity of epileptic seizures.

King’s has a long history of treating patients with medication-resistant epilepsy who are not candidates for direct surgery to the brain. The treatment used is Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS). VNS involves implanting a small device in the chest and connecting it to the vagus nerve in the neck where it delivers electrical impulses to the brain to relieve seizures.

The current delivered is gradually increased by a doctor in during outpatient appointments and the programming cycle is changed to optimise the management of seizures. The patient or carer is able to ‘swipe’ the device with a magnet when a seizure occurs to deliver a booster dose of stimulation, and since January 2015 the device has also been able to continuously monitor heart rate and deliver additional stimulation when a rise in heart rate consistent with a seizure occurs. VNS has been shown to be effective in decreasing the frequency and severity of seizures, allowing a decrease in medication, and in improving patients’ quality of life.

The new device allows the doctor to programme it in a more flexible manner. Multiple steps can be pre-programmed to occur at specified times in the future so that the patient is not required to attend as many outpatient appointments. The device can also be programmed to deliver different stimulation patterns at different times of the day or night, according to the patient’s condition. In outpatient appointments the doctor is able to download the record of seizure detections from the device and see the pattern by date and even hour of the day.

Dr David McCormick, Consultant Paediatrician in Epilepsy and Neurorehabilitation, and a leading expert on VNS therapy said, “Implantable technology will play a key part in the future of personalised medicine. This implanted device is the next generation treatment for patients with drug-resistant epilepsy. We are hopeful that it will offer further improvements in seizure control and quality of life for patients.”

Nine-year-old Surrey schoolboy, Simukai Shambira, was the first patient in Europe to have the new device implanted, Simukai has Lissencephaly, a rare genetic condition characterised by the absence of the normal folds in the brain, which results in several seizures per day.

His father, Valentine Shambira, who lives in Wallington, Surrey with his wife Felistas, Simukai and two younger sons, and said, “Simukai was on three different types of medication to control his seizures but he became resistant to the medication so we had to find a different treatment, which was when the team at King’s College Hospital told us about this new technology.

“We hope this device will reduce the number of seizures Simukai experiences each day. The fits slow him down and make him very drowsy so he misses out at school. We don’t live near the hospital so not having to attend appointments as frequently will help us to have more of a normal family life.”

Dr McCormick added, “This device is win-win: it means fewer hospital appointments for patients and this also means that over time it will save the NHS money. The device is also smaller than the ones we have used previously so it is less obvious underneath the skin.”

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

New research from the Havens

Four in five adolescent girls have a mental health disorder following sexual assault

80% of young women were found to have a mental health disorder and 55% had two or more mental health disorders four to five months after sexual assault, according to a study led by University College London and The Havens, London’s specialist sexual assault referral centres (SARCs) run by King’s.

For the study, published in The Lancet Child and Adolescent Health, researchers recruited 134 females, aged between 13 and 17 years between April 2013 and April 2015, interviewing them shortly after sexual assault and four to five months later. Post-traumatic stress disorder, other anxiety disorders and depression were the most common disorders seen.

Researchers found that nearly three in four young women who attended a SARC following a sexual assault came from the most deprived backgrounds and one in five had had a statement of special educational needs. More than one in two had had previous involvement with social services and half had sought mental health help in the 12 months prior to their assault.

“Although poverty and social vulnerability are well-recognised risk factors for sexual assault, few studies have examined this among adolescents, or looked at the impact of vulnerability on mental health outcomes following sexual assault,” said Dr Sophie Khadr, Sexual Health Consultant at the Havens.

“The study findings emphasise the 'double disadvantage' of young women who experience sexual assault. Their social vulnerability places them at higher risk of assault, with one in 12 reporting a further assault within four to five months.”

“Our study found that many of these vulnerability factors are also risk factors for mental health disorders following assault. Personal characteristics such as a history of self-harm, mental health help or social services involvement were more important than the type of assault as predictors of a later mental health diagnosis.”

The researchers suggest that more attention must be paid to the pre-existing vulnerability and later mental health needs of young people who have been assaulted – by health services, the criminal justice system and among the general public.

The study was funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Policy Research Programme.

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 performs a European first in transplantation

Young patient from Austria has been the recipient of a combined liver and small bowel transplant from a live donor

King’s College Hospital has carried out the first live donor combined liver and small bowel transplant in Europe on a four-year-old girl from Vienna.

Emilia Pierzchala was born with an impaired immune system and a genetically abnormal intestine that needed to be removed, leaving her with a very short bowel and she had to be fed through her veins. Due to deterioration of her liver and bowel functions, the hospital caring for Emilia in Austria referred her to King’s, one of a small number of centres in Europe that can manage such complex patients.

After thorough assessment, Emilia went on the waiting list for a liver and small bowel transplant from a size-match deceased donor. However, her health deteriorated while waiting so alternative options were sought, including the possibility of using live donor organs.

Emilia’s mother, 38-year-old Anna Pierzchala, decided to donate part of her bowel and a segment of her liver to her daughter in an operation that took two months to plan and involved careful consultation with a hospital in the USA, which had previously carried out such intricate surgery. Anna said, “When the team at King’s asked me whether I would consider donating part of my liver and bowel I thought: I gave life to Emilia once, I’ll do it twice.”

The 10-hour operation involved removing 150cm of Anna’s small bowel and part of her liver. Emilia then had to have her own small bowel and liver removed, and her mother’s organs transplanted into her body.

Mr Hector Vilca-Melendez, Consultant Transplant Surgeon at King’s, carried out the pioneering procedure. He said, “When Emilia came to King’s she was very unwell and her condition was deteriorating. A combined liver and small bowel transplant was the only option available to her”.

“It was the first time we had been faced with needing to use a live donor to perform a combined liver and intestinal transplant on a patient so sick but we knew it could be done. At King’s we try to push boundaries to help our patients so after a visit to a hospital in Chicago we planned the surgery meticulously. The operation took place on a Saturday with the assistance of other consultant surgeons and I was so proud of the nursing staff that came in to help even when they were not scheduled to work.”

“Emilia’s mother did an incredible thing. By donating part of her organs Emilia can have a greatly improved quality of life. She can now eat and will be able to go school like other children her age. It was a big operation but Emilia would have died without this surgical procedure, the post-transplant care provided by our medical and nursing team, and the selflessness of her mother.”

Anna Pierzchala added, “We both doing excellently since the transplant, I'm feeling physically and mentally great, and Emilia is so different now. She is happy and engaging, and loves to play. She has a new chance at life and she really is a different child.

“It is very difficult for me to express in words how grateful we are to the specialists at King’s. We had everything we needed at the hospital. The doctors and nurses were like our family. The team there kept us strong through the most difficult of times. We want to say the biggest thank you to everybody, including all the hard work carried out by so many people – some we never met – who played a part in Emilia's care.”

It is now a year since Emilia's transplant and she is back in Vienna with her mother, father and older brother.

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 team coordinator donated organs

Kate Hatherell donated her organs and transformed the lives of four others

In August last year, 31-year-old Kate Hatherell from Archway in north London died from a fatal asthma attack while she was out with friends near King’s College Hospital, where she worked.

Kate joined the organ donation register at the age of 17 and her family knew that she would have wanted to donate her organs to benefit the lives of those in need.

Kate, who worked at King’s in an array of different roles, most recently as a multidisciplinary team coordinator, transformed the lives of four others by donating her heart, liver, pancreas and both kidneys.

Kate’s mother, Nicky Hatherell, said: “Kate lived life to the full; she’s the only person we have ever known to be able to pack 25 hours into 24 on a regular basis! She died as she lived – by giving generously.

“Before working at King’s, she worked with me at Derriford Hospital in Plymouth and she saw many people she came to think of as friends die waiting for transplants. We knew that she would have wanted to give her organs and were proud to discover that she had registered herself as a donor.

“It’s so important to tell your family about your wishes should you die as they’re the ones who have to make the decision when it comes down to it.

Kate was cared for at the Intensive Care Unit at King’s before she died. Nicky added: “We are so glad that she was in the vicinity of King’s when it happened. It meant that all her friends and colleagues at the hospital were able to say their goodbyes. It was such a privilege to see so many people trooping by her bedside - from top management and consultants right down through the ranks - almost 100 people.”

This week is Organ Donation Week – a national NHS campaign that asks people to talk to their families about organ donation to increase the number of people whose lives can be saved or transformed by a transplant. Nationally, three people die every day in need of an organ, and there are around 1,255 in London on the transplant waiting list.

Families will always be approached about donation if a loved one can donate their organs. Knowing what their loved one would have wanted can help families make a decision at a difficult time.

Currently around 2.6million people in London are on the NHS Organ Donor Register but it is vital that people also tell their family they want to donate because families can refuse to consent, even if the person is on the register.

Mark Whitehouse, a Specialist Nurse for Organ Donation at King’s, who was involved in the organ donation process with Kate’s family, said: “We really need more people in London to have these conversations with their families and talk about organ donation, so that we can increase the number of lifesaving transplants.”

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 new dialysis unit opens in Thamesmead

A hundred patients will benefit as kidney care is provided closer to home

Today (Friday 12 October), a new dialysis unit was officially opened in Thamesmead by Teresa Pearce, Member of Parliament for Erith and Thamesmead.

The new unit, which has been operational since the summer, is part of King’s College Hospital’s kidney service and will benefit many patients in the boroughs of Greenwich and Bexley, who will no longer have to travel to the hospital in Camberwell for dialysis treatment.

The unit is open six days a week and will see up to 60 patients per day. Patients will be able to see a range of specialists including doctors, nurses and dietitians. Additionally, the site will have free on-site parking and free Wi-Fi for patients to use while they receive treatment. For patients who do not drive, the unit is served by the 472 bus, which stops directly outside and provides a link to Greenwich, Charlton, Woolwich and Plumstead.

Dr Robert Elias, Consultant Nephrologist and Clinical Director for Renal Services at King’s College Hospital said, “Many of our patients need dialysis three times a week so they have been at the very heart of developing our new renal unit in Thamesmead.

“Patients told us they wanted dialysis closer to home in a modern, spacious and comfortable environment. We’ve listened to those comments and the result is this new renal unit, which has state-of-the-art facilities and is receiving excellent patient feedback. Around a hundred patients living in Greenwich and Bexley will benefit from care closer to home.”

Teresa Pearce MP added, “I would like to thank the Renal Services at King’s College Hospital for listening to my constituents when they voiced concern of having their treatments so far from home. I am so glad that patients will no longer have to cope with long stressful journeys when accessing this life sustaining treatment”.

Renal patient, Norma Douglas, 58, from Deptford was consulted on the look and feel of the new unit. She said, “I’m proud to say this project has now come to fruition. This is a brilliant unit, the nurses are great and it’s like a home from home. I helped choose the colours of the chairs; I chose bright colours so it wouldn’t look too clinical.”

The new renal unit is provided by King’s College Hospital in partnership with Diaverum – one of the world’s leading renal care service providers.

Michael Hartnett, Managing Director of Diaverum UK added, “Diaverum are delighted to work with our colleagues at King’s to bring a local dialysis service to Thamesmead. Dialysis patients living in the local area have faced long journeys each week, and our new Thamesmead service is making a big difference for local dialysis patients and will do so for years to come.”

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

Home Secretary visits King’s College Hospital

The Rt Hon Sajid Javid MP discussed youth violence with staff in the Emergency Department

The Home Secretary, Sajid Javid MP, has paid a visit to staff in the Emergency Department (ED) at King’s College Hospital in south London to discuss the issue of youth violence.

The Secretary of State met with Dr Emer Sutherland, Clinical Director for Emergency Medicine, Tricia Fitzgerald, Director of Nursing, and John Poyton, Chief Executive of the youth work charity Redthread. The trio established a partnership in 2005 to tackle youth violence, which has resulted in a team of youth workers being permanently based in the ED.

During the hour-long visit, the group discussed the treatment and care young people with knife injuries receive from the medical team when they arrive at hospital, as well as the psycho-social support offered by the Redthread youth workers.

They described how the doctors, nurses and other members of hospital staff treat the physical injuries while the youth workers support young patients by establishing their immediate needs, as well as helping them longer-term to make healthy choices and positive plans to disrupt the cycle of violence.

Following the visit, Dr Emer Sutherland, Clinical Director for Emergency Medicine at King’s College Hospital said, “We are delighted that the Home Secretary came to King’s to find out about the work being to address youth violence in the community. We are very proud of the partnership we have with Redthread. Together we care for injured young people physically and emotionally to help break the cycle of violence.”

John Poyton, Chief Executive of Redthread added, “We were delighted to host the Home Secretary at King’s College Hospital. We set up the first UK hospital-based violence intervention programme in partnership with King’s 14 years ago and today we have expanded to seven hospitals across London and the Midlands.

“We are grateful to the Home Office for their support as a funder of our work. Our intervention of supporting young people in the Emergency Department, on the wards and back out in the community is one of the many important parts of a public health approach to tackling violence.”

Home Secretary Sajid Javid said, “It was a privilege to come to King’s College Hospital and meet the frontline workers from Redthread, and the hospital staff, who deal with the consequences of knife crime all year round.

“I’ve been moved by their tireless efforts and vital work - intervening at critical moments with young victims to help break the cycle of violence.

“Knife crime has a devastating impact on victims, families and our communities and I am determined to do all we can to tackle it.”

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

4. 3. Redthread seeks to enable young people to lead healthy, safe and happy lives. One facet of this is the Youth Violence Intervention Programme, which runs in hospital Emergency Departments in partnership with the major trauma network. The innovative service aims to reduce serious youth violence, and has revolutionised the support available to young victims of violence. Further information at http://www.redthread.org.uk/

King’s launches transgender sexual health service

King’s College Hospital in Camberwell is launching the first sexual health service in south London for trans people.

The walk-in clinic, which will run every Tuesday from 4pm to 7pm at the Caldecot Centre at King’s College Hospital, will open at the end of April 2019.

In partnership with cliniQ, the new service will offer a range of health and wellbeing initiatives to meet the needs of trans people. Services include STI testing and treatment; contraception; counselling; acupuncture; cervical screening; hormone testing, hormone injection and advice; sexual assault support; hate crime support; housing advice; and the PrEP Impact Trial.

The service will be jointly delivered by trained King’s and cliniQ staff and will include a counsellor; a support worker; a nurse; a doctor; and an acupuncturist. The team will provide care and support at the clinic and will work with other relevant services such as primary care, mental health services and social services.

In addition to clinical and support services, King’s will be developing and delivering a range of training materials for healthcare professionals to raise awareness, knowledge and skills in relation to trans health.

Dr Michael Brady, Consultant in Sexual Health and HIV at King’s College Hospital and National Advisor for LGBT Health at NHS England said, “On Trans Visibility Day (31 March), I am very proud to announce the new service that we will deliver in partnership with cliniQ. Although the focus of our service will be on sexual health, we recognise that trans and non-binary people are disproportionally affected by health inequalities and a range of potential physical, psychological and social problems. As such we will adopt a holistic approach combining health and wellbeing services to help improve mental health, self-esteem and reducing isolation. A holistic approach to trans health also plays a key part in reducing vulnerability to HIV acquisition.”

Michelle Ross, cliniQ Co-founder and Director of Holistic Wellbeing Services added, “I am excited and immensely proud to announce that cliniQ in partnership with King’s College Hospital will be delivering and developing the very first sexual health and holistic wellbeing services in South London for trans, non-binary and gender diverse people. cliniQ have a substantial background of over seven years providing sexual health, HIV and holistic wellbeing services for trans communities, and we have convened five national ground-breaking conferences with international speakers from; San Francisco, Mexico City and TGEU Berlin. cliniQ’s focus is on improving the provision of health and wellbeing services in the UK for trans, non-binary and gender diverse people and enhancing their dignity in accessing services.”

Cllr Ed Davie, Lambeth Cabinet Member for Health, said: “This new service is something we’re very proud to deliver alongside King’s and the Health Innovation Network. I’m certain that it will make a positive difference to the lives of trans people in Lambeth and across South London, providing a whole range of health support in a safe, comfortable environment. This will increase learning and awareness, both for health professionals in the issues that trans people face, and also for trans men and women around sexual health and wellbeing, helping us reduce inequality and ensure that everyone can access the support that is right for them. From our black mental health commission to leading the Do It London HIV campaign, Lambeth Council has a proud record of working with our minority communities to improve health and I'm very pleased this new trans clinic builds on this offer.”

The new service is funded by the London Boroughs of Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham and the Health Innovation Network (South London).

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

Free patient WiFi now available

Free patient Wi-Fi has now been rolled out across the Trust

Free patient WiFi has now been rolled out across the Trust – so that patients and visitors can access internet when attending our three hospitals, this has been made possible by the support of King’s College Hospital Charity.

The WiFi, is available free of charge to all visitors and patients 24 hours a day at King’s College Hospital, Princess Royal University Hospital and Orpington Hospital.

The free WiFi can be accessed by selecting the Patient Wifi tab, which should appear automatically on your tablet or phone. It will then prompt you to enter your name and email address.

Gail Scott-Spicer, chief executive of King’s College Hospital Charity, said: “We are delighted to fund this service for the hundreds of thousands of patients and visitors at our hospitals . We know that being in hospital can sometimes be a difficult experience, so I hope free WiFi will help improve the experience for both our patients and visitors. There is lots of useful information and our visitors can also find out more about the Charity and the benefits we deliver to patients.”

Lisa Hollins, Director of Improvement, Informatics and ICT said: “We are always looking to improve our hospital environment for patients and visitors – and we hope the patient Wi-Fi will be of huge use to them. The launch of the new Wi-Fi service has paid for by the King’s College Hospital Charity and we must thank them for their support and contribution of this project.”

Patients accessing the WiFi can use the service to view the menu for inpatients, find out about wards, the chaplaincy and to leave feedback about services, as well as accessing the internet more widely.

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 becomes Duke of Edinburgh Award provider

King’s has become just the second hospital Trust in the UK to become accredited

The accreditation means that existing young volunteers at King's College Hospital and the Princess Royal University Hospital (PRUH) can use their hours toward the volunteering element of the DofE Award. Additionally, those looking to volunteer as part of their DofE Award can choose to do this at King's or the PRUH, something they may not have considered previously.

Young people who volunteer at the Trust - particularly at the PRUH where there are fewer younger volunteers - can do so in a range of different settings and roles. These include helping patients at mealtimes on wards, guiding patients and visitors around the hospital, and assisting with administration in office areas.

Nikki Ansari, 17, from Ruislip, has been volunteering for two months at King’s College Hospital. Nikki, who is keen on pursuing a career as a pharmacist said, “I began volunteering as I wanted to gain some valuable experience in a hospital environment. I really enjoy helping the patients and making them feel comfortable – it’s really rewarding. You get to meet interesting people that you might not interact with ordinarily. I help at mealtimes and bring patients newspapers and magazines to read. It’s nice to chat to them and try and make their hospital stay a positive experience. If there are any younger people thinking about volunteering at the PRUH I’d advise them to try it.”

Young people completing the DofE programme who wish to volunteer at King's or the PRUH have to be at least 16 years old and commit to completing a minimum of three hours of volunteering each week for at least six months.

Petula Storey, Head of Volunteering at King’s said, “Being an accredited Duke of Edinburgh Award provider is a great step forward for our volunteering programme. We already have a number of wonderful young volunteers who make a big difference in our hospitals, and we hope this new accreditation will encourage even more young people to get involved.”

Anyone interested in finding out more about volunteering opportunities at the PRUH can email kch-tr.VolunteerPRUH@nhs.net or phone on 020 3299 4223 or apply online at https://www.kch.nhs.uk/about/get-involved/volunteeringhttps://www.kch.nhs.uk/about/get-involved/volunteering

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 neurosurgeon carries out innovative surgery

Mr Bassel Zebian, consultant neurosurgeon at King's, has adapted a device in order to carry out minimally invasive neurosurgery

Mr Bassel Zebian, a consultant neurosurgeon at King’s College Hospital, has adapted an endoscopic ultrasonic aspirator - a device that uses ultrasonic vibration to fragment a brain tumour and remove it - in order to carry out minimally invasive neurosurgery for deep tumours that would otherwise be extremely difficult to access.

In Janaury 2018, 14-month-old Octavia Begbey became restless during the night, something her parents initially put down to teething. She soon started vomiting and developed a stiff neck so her parents, Richard and Charlotte, rushed her to the local hospital in Tumbridge Wells. There, Octavia had a CT scan and it was discovered that she had a brain tumour the size of a golf ball in the middle of her brain, causing life-threatening obstruction and build-up of fluid (hydrocephalus).

Octavia was transferred to King’s as a matter of urgency. Richard said: “We met with Mr Zebian when we arrived who told us that if Octavia was not operated on, she was unlikely to survive. He explained that once the tumour had been removed, it was possible that our daughter would have some form of learning difficulty or physical disability due to the location of the tumour.” Mr Zebian then explained to the parents that one way to reduce the risk of damage to her brain was to use a minimally invasive technique with a small incision and a tiny corridor through brain to access the tumour.

That evening, Octavia was in surgery for 22 hours while Mr Zebian and his team worked to remove the tumour through a small hole in the skull. The tumour turned out to be benign, and 80% of it was removed in that first operation, with the remainder removed a few months later.

The technique Mr Zebian uses in selected patients, such as Octavia, is the equivalent of keyhole surgery in the brain. The procedure is performed through a neuroendoscope - a small metal tube with a camera at the tip and a channel to allow instruments to pass through. In Octavia’s case, a hole about 9mm wide was made in the skull for the endoscope to be inserted. Mr Zebian initially used a variety of adapted instruments to remove tumours endoscopically until he was able to modify an endoscopic ultrasonic aspirator to fit through a specific endoscope. This has allowed him to navigate the ventricles of the brain and reach very deep lesions and remove them with minimal damage to the surrounding healthy brain. The alternative technique would have resulted in a much bigger corridor, a few centimetres in diameter, through the healthy brain to allow access to the deep tumour.

Mr Zebian said: “This technique minimises damage to the healthy brain whilst maximising visualisation of and access to deep tumours. The difficulty neuroendoscopic surgeons often face is the control of bleeding and the lack of adequate instrumentation. With our modification of existing instruments we have been able to push the limits of minimally invasive resections in the best interest of our patients and we are increasingly able to resect even large, deep, solid tumours with one of the biggest cases series in the world.”

Octavia had her last surgery on 10 May last year (2018) and is doing exceptionally well, with no signs of brain damage at all – she’s top of her peer group and her parents say the surgery has had no negative effects on her at all.

On 10 May, one year on from Octavia’s last operation, Richard and Charlotte will be walking 50km from their home in, West Malling, Kent to Richard’s office in the City of London to raise money for another endoscope, which will mean that more of the same type of surgery can be carried out. The 50km signifies the distance Richard walked while pacing up and down the Lion Ward corridor at King’s, trying to get Octavia to find peace and sleep ahead of her operation.

Richard added: “We can never repay the debt of gratitude we owe Mr Zebian and the team at King’s for saving Octavia’s life but we would like to try by helping them save more lives.”

If you’d like to find out more about Richard’s fundraising or donate, further information can be found here https://fticonsulting.benevity.org/community/fundraiser/view/43

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

Evidence lacking on effectiveness of penis enlargement

"Many vulnerable men suffer by having needless, ineffective surgical and non-surgical procedures," King's urologist warns

A review on the use of surgery and other treatments to enlarge penis size, carried out by researchers at King’s College Hospital and the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN) at King’s College London has been published in the Sexual Medicine Review.

The review, which investigated penile enhancement methods in men without penile abnormalities, found a low level of evidence in favour of penile extenders. It also found no consensus regarding when surgery should be undertaken, if ever. It found overall treatment outcomes were poor, with low satisfaction rates and significant risk of major complications, including penile deformity, shortening, and erectile dysfunction.

In total, 17 studies on penile enhancements were reviewed, assessing a total of 21 enlargement interventions in 1,192 men, with 773 followed up after nonsurgical or surgical treatment. The quality of the studies were found to be poor with regard to the methodology for patient selection and outcomes assessment. Some men reported a size increase; however, complications were frequent, and none of the techniques were externally validated. When provided, counselling was found to be effective, with the majority of men coming to understand their penis was normal and unwilling to undergo any further treatment.

The review will inform clinicians treating patients with Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) or Penile Dysmorphic Disorder (PDD), anxiety disorders which can have serious detrimental effects on health. Notably, PDD is associated with high rates of psychiatric hospitalisation. The study could help doctors to ensure they provide adequate counselling and treatment, and help patients avoid ineffective and risky procedures.

Mr Gordon Muir, Consultant Urologist at King’s College Hospital who led on the research, said, “We have a large research base in the field of penis enlargement and genital dysmorphia. Many men who wish to undergo penis enlargement procedures have an average-sized penis but believe their size to be inadequate. Sadly, some clinics seem to ignore this.

“Most treatments to increase penis size are not evidence-based, and their efficacy is extremely limited. Many vulnerable men suffer by having needless, ineffective surgical and non-surgical procedures. Hopefully this study will help to show men who do not have penile abnormalities that counselling can be the most effective form of treatment.”

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

Keyhole surgery in the womb for baby with spina bifida

UK first at King’s College Hospital will “reduce risks to the mother whilst ensuring maximal benefit for the baby”

King’s College Hospital in London has become the first centre in the UK to carry out fetoscopic (keyhole) surgery on babies with spina bifida while they are still in their mother’s womb.

Guided by ultrasound, a team of neurosurgeons and fetal medicine specialists introduced a camera and instruments through tiny incisions in the mother’s stomach to repair holes in baby’s spinal cord without the need to make invasive cuts to her abdomen.

Until recently, women carrying a baby with spina bifida who decided to continue with their pregnancy could choose to repair the hole in their baby’s back after birth or opt for invasive fetal surgery. This involves making a large incision across the width of the woman’s abdomen during pregnancy to access the uterus, which is then opened to repair the baby’s damaged spine. The uterus and abdomen are then closed and the pregnancy continues.

Using the novel minimally invasive approach, a small incision is made to the woman’s abdomen and a fetoscope – a long, thin tube with a light and camera at the end – is guided into the uterus. The surgeons access the exposed spinal cord which is protruding through a hole in the baby’s back and free it from surrounding tissue so that it can be put back into the spinal canal. A special patch is used to then cover the spinal cord followed by closure of the muscles and skin to prevent spinal fluid from leaking.

Mr Bassel Zebian, Consultant Neurosurgeon at King’s College Hospital, who led the neurosurgical part of the team carrying out the procedure said, “A number of centres around the world have made great strides in open fetal repair over the last few years and demonstrated the benefit of fetal surgery in reducing the severity of the condition and associated complications. The aim of the fetoscopic approach is to reduce the risks to the mother and future pregnancies whilst still ensuring maximal benefit for the baby.”

Dr Marta Santorum-Perez, Consultant in Fetal Medicine, who led the fetal medicine part of the team added, “Only a handful of centres around the world have the required expertise to perform surgery using a fetoscope. We were fortunate enough to train and work closely with Dr Denise Lapa Pedreira, Consultant in Fetal Medicine at the Albert Einstein Hospital in Sao Paolo, who pioneered this technique.”

Sherrie Sharp, 28, from Horsham in West Sussex found out her baby had spina bifida following her 20-week scan at another hospital. Sherrie, who gave birth to a son – Jaxson Nicholas Leonard James Sharp – on Easter Saturday (20/04/19) was one of the first to have the pioneering surgery at King’s. By coincidence, Sherrie herself benefited from the Fetal Medicine Department at King’s – led by world-renowned specialist, Professor Kypros Nicolaides – when she developed severe anaemia while in her mother’s womb and received life-saving blood transfusions through her mother’s abdomen.

Having had first-hand of the expertise at King’s, Sherrie referred herself to the Fetal Medicine Department where she was offered the fetoscopic repair. Sherrie said, “When we found out Jaxson had spina bifida I was given a number of options. We knew we wanted to keep our baby and I’m here today thanks to the specialists King’s so I wanted my baby to have the same chance. The procedure took over three hours and the specialists were happy with how it went. We’re thrilled with our beautiful boy and even though he arrived earlier than expected he’s doing well and his back is healing nicely.”

Spina bifida is a condition whereby a baby’s spine does not close fully during pregnancy leaving a hole in the back and the spinal cord exposed. This causes damage to the spinal cord resulting in weakness or total paralysis as well as loss of sensation in the legs as well as urinary and bowel dysfunction. Many babies with spina bifida also develop problems with their brain including hydrocephalus (a build-up of fluid on the brain), which can further damage the brain and requires drainage.

Surgery during the second trimester of pregnancy has been shown to reduce the degree of weakness in the legs and improve function, as well as reduce the chances of developing hydrocephalus.

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

Space for bereaved families refurbished at PRUH

The Friends of the PRUH raised £2,000 from local businesses to contribute to the refurbishment

The relatives’ waiting area and viewing room in the mortuary at the Princess Royal University Hospital (PRUH) has been refurbished to make a more tranquil and comfortable environment for families coming to say goodbye to their loved ones.

The Friends of the PRUH, a small charitable organisation that aims to improve the environment and experience of patients, their families and staff, spearheaded the refurbishment. Their fundraising efforts have delivered new floors and furniture, in addition to full redecoration in calming colours.

The total cost of the refurbishment came to £8,200, and a number of local organisations including Valentine and Turner Family Funeral Home; Welham Jones Funerals and Memorials; and W.Uden and Sons Ltd made donations totalling £2,000. The Marina Patterson Memorial Trust provided artwork, with each piece carefully chosen to complement and respect the function of the space.

Pauline Allard, Chair of Friends of PRUH, said, “We have worked closely with a number of individuals and organisations to make this happen, and it is wonderful to have completed another successful project that we can now hand over to the Trust.

“We hope the refurbishment enhances the environment for all those who sadly have to visit, and they find it a comfortable and peaceful place.”

Richard Warren, Mortuary Manager at the PRUH, added, “This refurbishment will make a real difference when we are supporting families at a very difficult time. Many thanks to the Friends of the PRUH for their fundraising efforts and all the local businesses that donated money to improve this space for those who use it.”

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