Rapid Diagnostics Centre is officially open

The London Clinic The Rapid Diagnostics Centre

A special event was held at the Rapid Diagnostics Centre in Harley Street, London, on March 14 to mark its opening. The evening was organised to show gratitude to the donors and supporters whose generosity has been pivotal in advancing the charitable mission of The London Clinic. The clinic opened in 1932 and has been a charity since 1935, supported by the patronage of Her Majesty The Queen.

Opening the Rapid Diagnostics Centre is part of The London Clinic’s purpose to invest surplus income to continuously update equipment and facilities, fund research and train staff to improve health outcomes for patients and to benefit the local community.

Attendees at the event included chair of the clinic Hamish Leslie Melville, Julian Best and Mark Kildea representing the Howard de Walden Estate, Robbie Winders of the Mittal Foundation, Alison Meek representing the Phillips Trust and accompanied by her husband Sir Robert Francis KC, Prakash Chhabria and Michael Urwick from the Mukul Madhav Foundation and clinic trustee Martin Paisner, also representing the Dorset Foundation.

Melville said: “The Rapid Diagnostics Centre was made possible through the unwavering support and dedication of our generous donors. Thanks to this centre, we are poised to provide over 10,000 rapid cancer diagnostics and screenings this year, with a commitment to ensuring at least 4,000 of these are accessible to individuals from underserved communities and those experiencing prolonged wait times for appointments.

“This is possible through our partnerships with NHS hospitals, including established referral systems with esteemed institutions such as University College London Hospital and Royal Free Hospital.”

As another branch of The London Clinic’s community work in 2023, the hospital launched its first community health pop-up in collaboration with a local youth and community club, providing resources, answering queries and facilitating referrals for diagnostic testing. Following positive feedback, the clinic has committed to hosting these events on a bi-monthly basis, targeting different communities in need across London.

Picture: The London Clinic chair Hamish Leslie Melville with ceo Al Russell.

Published on page 18 of the May 2024 issue of RAD Magazine.