Kidney cancer teamRenal cancer services at the Royal Free Hospital are to be expanded over the coming year with patients from across north and east London and Essex receiving care from our specialist team.

Patients with kidney cancer at the Princess Alexandra Hospital, Queen’s Hospital and King George Hospital in Essex and patients at the Homerton, North Middlesex University, Whittington, Royal London, Barts and Whipps Cross Hospitals in north and east London will be referred to the Royal Free Hospital for their care.

Patients from Barnet Hospital, Chase Farm Hospital and UCLH have already been transferred to the specialist team at the Royal Free Hospital over the past two years.

Michael Aitchison, renal cancer service director, said: “Focusing expertise in one place will enable the team to deliver better care to patients. In total we will expect to see around 400 patients from north and east London and Essex at our renal cancer unit this year. We will be working very closely with our colleagues at other trusts to ensure that patients are supported as they move from the care of their local hospital to the Royal Free Hospital.”

This is part of a wider plan to open specialist centres for cancer and cardiovascular patients in hospitals across the capital.

At the Royal Free Hospital care for patients with renal cancer will be managed by a multi-disciplinary team (MTD), which consists of doctors, nurses and co-ordinators who all have specialist training and experience in treating and supporting patients with kidney cancer.

Surgeons in the MTD also have expertise in operating a surgical robot, which allows them to be more precise when operating and in many cases the tumour can be removed and the rest of the kidney preserved.

Although some patients may initially be diagnosed and have some scans carried out at their local hospital, they will then be referred to the Royal Free Hospital for surgery or any other care that they may require.

Find out more about the kidney cancer centre at the Royal Free Hospital.

Image: Kidney cancer team at the Royal Free Hospital

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Notes to editors

Media contacts: mary.mcconnell2@nhs.net or call 020 7472 6665

About the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust

The Royal Free began as a pioneering organisation and continues to play a leading role in the care of patients. Our mission is to provide world class expertise and local care. In the 21st century, the Royal Free London continues to lead improvements in healthcare.

The Royal Free London attracts patients from across the country and beyond to its specialist services in liver, kidney and bone marrow transplantation, haemophilia, renal, HIV, infectious diseases, plastic surgery, immunology, vascular surgery, cardiology, amyloidosis and scleroderma and we are a member of the academic health science partnership UCLPartners.

In July 2014 Barnet Hospital and Chase Farm Hospital became part of the Royal Free London. Read our news story: A bigger trust, a better future.