London PPU starts overseas network
PPU Watch
Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust’s private patient arm has established an international network with a first member, Aman Hospital, Qatar.
This 100-bed facility offers a wide range of medical and surgical services across numerous specialties, including cardiology, ophthalmology and obstetrics. It is expected to open next month.
Multidisciplinary teams from the trust will work collaboratively with network members to help them make improvements to their clinical care and services while also establishing processes to enable members to transfer patients to and from Imperial Private Healthcare’s London facilities if more complex care is needed.
This may enable patients to return to their ‘home’ hospital sooner than with a standard overseas referral.
The International Affiliate Network will also provide trust staff with unique work experience and development opportunities, helping to improve care for the trust’s patients and local communities.
Alistair Russell, director of business development at Imperial Private Healthcare, said: ‘We’re really excited to launch the International Affiliate Network and welcome the first member.
‘We’re looking forward to building a referral network on a global scale, to share knowledge and expertise and advance patient care at a local level.’
The trust has been supported in the development of the network by Healthcare UK and the newly formed NHS Export Collaborative, a joint initiative between NHS England, NHS Improvement, the Department of Health and Social Care and the Department for International Trade.
In 2019-20 Imperial’s private patient income was £53.8m, third highest in the NHS.