World-leading consultants

Royal Brompton and Harefield hospitals are home to some of the world's most talented physicians and surgeons. 

Central to our success is our ability to attract consultants from around the globe whose combined expertise enables us to lead the way in the field of heart and lung treatment. 

As well as travelling internationally to lecture and share their knowledge, our clinicians hold prominent positions on influential boards, committees, institutions, and professional associations. 

Specialist medical care 

Our nurses are specifically trained in caring for patients with heart and lung illnesses and over 70 of them are highly qualified nurse specialists. 

Supporting the work of the nursing staff are our resident medical officers (RMOs), who are qualified doctors who work closely with the nursing team and each patient’s consultant, implementing treatment plans. 

Ancillary staff, such as physiotherapists and pharmacists, are readily available for inpatients. 

International patient coordinators and interpreters 

As an internationally renowned hospital, we regularly treat patients from across the globe. 

We recognise that being away from home in a different environment can be worrying and stressful. That's why we take extra care to ensure that international patients and their families are well looked after. 

Our dedicated team of international patient coordinators are fluent in Arabic and help ensure that the patient's cultural, religious and language needs are met. If other languages are required, we make sure that a professional interpreter is present. 

Catering and hospitality 

Patients also benefit from our comprehensive catering and cleaning service. Located on the ward itself, chefs in our kitchen cook food to order. They can cater for cultural, religious and other special dietary requirements. 

Royal Brompton and Harefield hospitals is part of the private patient service at Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust. 

Our aim  

We aim to make our world-leading treatments and services accessible to all. 

Any profits made from our private business are reinvested directly back into the hospitals, helping to improve both NHS and private patient services. 

As a private arm of an NHS Trust, we can attract some of the most talented consultants from around the world. We provide some of the most sophisticated treatments using state-of-the art diagnostic technology and treatment facilities. 

Our vision 

We work hard every day towards our vision of being the UK’s leading specialist centre for the diagnosis and treatment of heart and lung disease. 

Through ongoing research and in-depth clinical practice, we will continue to develop our world-renowned services to improve global health and achieve our vision. 

Our values 

We take our position as world leaders in the diagnosis and treatment of heart and lung conditions very seriously. We’re proud of our continued commitment to patients in this specialist medical area. 

  • We care about our patients and our commitment to advancing diagnosis and treatment. 

  • We respect our patients, staff, confidentiality, and the medical profession as a whole. 

  • We are inclusive of our patients and staff, offering the same high standards of care and employment conditions to all. 

  • We believe in our staff who are the backbone of our organisation and are committed to evolving and advancing care. 

  • We are responsible providers of patient care, and it is at the forefront of everything we do. 

  • We discover new techniques and treatment, continuing to discover new, improved ways of working to beat heart and lung disease. 

  • We share our knowledge with the medical community to ensure all patients are getting the best, state-of-the-art care. 

Weve received multiple awards and recognition for our specialist heart and lung care services.

 

Our Newsweek listing

We're pleased to share that all hospitals that make up adult and children’s services across Guy's and St Thomas' Specialist Care have been ranked as some of the world's best for 2024 by US Newsweek, the American weekly news magazine.

Its 2024 list of ‘World’s Best Specialized Hospitals’ is based on a global survey of over 40,000 medical experts from more than 20 countries. The list is released annually and covers multiple areas of medicine, ranking international hospitals by specialism, based on the global survey results.

We’re very proud that Royal Brompton Hospital has been ranked 4th in pulmonology, 9th in cardiology, and 19th in cardiac surgery. St Thomas' and Harefield hospitals were also commended in the cardiology category.

Guy's and St Thomas' hospitals were commended in both the obstetrics and gynaecology and urology rankings, while St Thomas' Hospital received further recognition in the gastroenterology category.

We are also delighted that the incredible team at Evelina London Children’s Hospital has been recognised in the paediatric hospitals category for the outstanding care they provide to our young patients and their families.

Finally, Guy’s, Royal Brompton and St Thomas’ hospitals were ranked as some of the ‘World’s Best Smart Hospitals’ for the use of technological innovation in care. This includes advances in the use of robotics, imaging and artificial intelligence.

Read the full Newsweek report here.

 

 

St Thomas' Hospital ranked top in UK

We’re delighted to share that in US Newsweek’s 2023 list of World’s Best Hospitals, St Thomas’ Hospital was ranked as best in the UK. The 2023 list of World’s Best Hospitals includes 2,300 hospitals in 28 countries, ranked by a data-based comparison of both hospital reputation and performance.

For the first time, US Newsweek’s 2023 list also included data from standardised, validated questionnaires completed by patients. Results from these questionnaires measured patients’ perception of their functional well-being and quality of life in the hospitals.

Guy’s Hospital was 4th on the UK list. We’re also proud that Royal Brompton, Harefield and Evelina London Children’s hospitals were separately recognised as some of the world’s best in their specialist areas (cardiology, pulmonology, and paediatrics).

Thank you to the brilliant teams in all of our hospitals, whose dedication and expertise ensures we can provide excellent care and positive patient experiences.

Read the full report of US Newsweek’s World’s Best Hospital rankings here.

 

 

 

'Innovation in Health Tech' award winner

We're delighted to share that we have won the LaingBuisson Award in the ‘Innovation in Health Tech’ category.

Our keyhole valve surgery team at Royal Brompton Hospital, led by Mr Toufan Bahrami, has been recognised for delivering innovation in cardiac surgery, resulting in outstanding patient outcomes.

By performing valve repair and replacement surgery through a 2.5cm incision, patient recovery is reduced significantly from 3 months to just 3 weeks. The procedure also utilises 3D technology, with a 3D camera used to generate images which are projected onto a screen.

Wearing 3D glasses and using specially-designed longer instruments, the surgeon can then carry out the procedure by looking at the footage on screen, rather than looking through the incision in the patient.

This aids collaboration as all surgeons in the room can see the same thing on screen, while the projected images can also be remotely accessed around the world. This promotes further collaboration with specialists on a global scale, and also provides valuable teaching opportunities for trainees.

We were the first providers in the UK of this innovative treatment which is available for mitral, tricuspid and aortic valve repair and replacement surgery.

 

'Healthcare Outcomes’ award winners 

Royal Brompton and Harefield Hospitals Specialist Care won a ‘Healthcare Outcomes’ award for our lung cancer services at the LaingBuisson Awards.

Our consultants are specialists in lung cancer care and continuously research new treatments to improve healthcare outcomes.

This award is for our lung tumour ablation service at Royal Brompton Hospital, led by Dr Carole Ridge, our consultant cardiothoracic and interventional radiologist.

The established treatments for lung cancer include surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. However, our minimally invasive “ablation” procedures offer an alternative to surgery, thereby reducing patient recovery times.

Our lung tumour ablation procedure, which takes around two hours, can be performed under general anaesthetic. The treatment requires a one or two-night hospital stay, and patients are usually back to normal activities after a week, with mild postoperative pain.

Using advanced imaging, tumour ablation technologies and care pathways, our gold-standard multi-disciplinary approach offers complete care for patients’ peace of mind.

 

Centre of Excellence

We are delighted that Royal Brompton and Harefield hospitals’ Heart Rhythm Centre (HRC) has been awarded ‘Centre of Excellence’ status by the Arrhythmia Alliance. 

The Heart Rhythm Centre is home to one of the largest device implantation services in the country, including for pacemakers, implantable cardioverter defibrillators, and devices for cardiac resynchronisation. 

The centre is a national leader in cardiac resynchronisation therapy. The team was involved in the early development of this important therapy which helps to treat heart failure and improve the heart’s rhythm. 

The centre also has specialist expertise in device therapy of complex patients with congenital and/or paediatric heart disease and provides regional device extraction using state-of-the-art laser therapy. 

The Arrythmia Alliance is a coalition of independent charities, patients, carers, medical groups and professionals. These groups work together to promote timely and effective diagnosis and treatment of arrhythmias, providing support, information and education to raise awareness. 

Visit the Arrhythmia Alliance website here

 

International Cardio-Oncology Society Recognition

Royal Brompton Hospital has been named as a Gold Class Centre of Excellence by the International Cardio-Oncology Society – its highest accolade for cardio-oncology services.  

Cardio-oncology is the field of heart health in cancer patients and Royal Brompton’s service is one of only six hospitals outside of the US and 15 worldwide to receive the gold status from the US-based society.  

Our service, started by our consultants Dr Alexander Lyon and Professor Stuart Rosen, has provided expert heart care to over 1,500 cancer patients and survivors.  

Our specialists also provide education and training in cardio-oncology to healthcare professionals around the world.  

Learn more about the award here.

 

 

 

Award-winning international patient services

We’ve been awarded as the leading ‘Specialist international patient centre’ in the world by the International Medical Travel Journal (IMTJ). 

The IMTJ provides independent insight into the medical travel and medical tourism sector, to ensure that international patient expectations are met and that the industry maintains a high standard. The award was given to us for being the specialist centre that demonstrated the greatest success in attracting and serving international patients globally. Read more about the awards on the IMTJ website.  

You can also find more information about our award-winning international patient services here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Best private hospitals in London

Our private patient service has been identified as one of the best in London by myTribe, the health, life and business insurance experts.

myTribe is an independent insurance information service that provides unbiased and thoroughly researched guidance on insurance policies, such as, this piece which reviews the private best health insurance in the UK.

You can use their website to learn more about various types of insurance available in the UK and find an FCA authorised broker to provide you with individual, tailored advice.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Royal Brompton and Harefield hospitals have a prestigious history as independent institutions specialising in lung and heart conditions.

History of Royal Brompton Hospital 

Royal Brompton Hospital has a long and distinguished history dating from 1841 when it was established to treat tuberculosis sufferers, located outside the city. Over the centuries the city has expanded and the location is now a prestigious and cosmopolitan residential area. 

The hospital was founded by Philip Rose as a charitable endeavour in the era before universal free healthcare. In its first decades it enjoyed support from the Royal family and Charles Dickens, among others. Royal patronage has continued and our main building, Sydney Wing, was opened in 1991 by Her Majesty The Queen. The hospital was granted Royal Charter in the same year. 

In the 1940s, after incorporation into the new National Health Service, the hospital began developing its expertise in heart conditions alongside the existing excellence in the treatment of lung disease. 

Royal Brompton Hospital established Europe’s first adult cystic fibrosis clinic in 1964 and the hospital has grown into the largest treatment centre for the condition in Europe. 

History of Harefield Hospital 

The first hospital on the site was established in the First World War for the treatment of injured Australians and New Zealanders. Today, the hospital’s state-of-the-art ANZAC Centre remembers the vital contribution made by those troops. 

In the 1930s, Harefield became an isolation hospital for tuberculosis patients, laying down the foundations of its expertise in lung conditions. In the late 1940s the hospital became part of the new National Health Service and began to develop its expertise in heart conditions in addition to its established lung expertise. 

The ground-breaking work of Professor Sir Magdi Yacoub set the direction of the hospital throughout the last decades of the 20th century. He performed Harefield’s first heart transplant in 1980 and carried out the world’s first combined heart and lung transplant at the hospital in 1983. 

More than 2,500 transplant operations have now been carried out at Harefield and the transplant population includes more than 1,200 patients needing life-long follow up.