Consultants' update: August 2026

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An update from Andrew McGrath, Finance Director

Welcome to August’s consultant newsletter.

I hope everyone is enjoying the slightly cooler weather this week following what has been an extraordinarily warm summer. It’s fair to say that the heat has created some challenge for us all, so I am very grateful to you and your teams for working with us. We have plans to enhance the infrastructure in and around the hospital to ensure that we’re even better equipped for long, hot summers in the future.

You will no doubt have seen that we have reached a further significant milestone in the hospital refurbishment. Following the commissioning of the extremity and 3T scanners last month, we returned the mobile MRI that has sat at the front of the hospital over the last few years. I think the patient experience improvements are obvious, not least in terms of better access to the hospital entrance – and, of course, the immediate improvements to the flow of visiting vehicles.

A new step forward for our pharmacy services

A further milestone in the refurbishment was achieved this week with the opening of our new pharmacy facilities. We were delighted to officially mark the occasion with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and to celebrate the successful relocation of both the inpatient and outpatient pharmacies.

The new premises represent an important step forward in our commitment to providing safe, efficient, and patient-centred pharmaceutical care. Designed to be more modern, accessible, and welcoming, the new facilities will enhance the experience for patients, consultants, and staff alike.

This relocation is more than a change of premises; it reflects our commitment to our transformation journey and operational excellence. We look forward to welcoming you to our new pharmacy location and continuing to provide exceptional care.

Hospital transformation continues at pace

In addition to the new MRI scanners and pharmacy, we have recently opened three new reception areas to support new outpatient consulting rooms, including our new gynaecology clinic with recovery and procedure rooms, and a new nuclear medicine suite.

Further construction is now underway to update our back lift lobby and implement additional consulting rooms and reception space.

Cath labs: strong utilisation, with room to grow

Our cath labs continue to perform exceptionally well and utilisation remains strong. We do, however, still have availability. If you have patients waiting, or additional procedural demand, we’d be delighted to support you.

Making the best use of this capacity benefits everyone, and most importantly, our patients.

Summer theatre capacity: an opportunity

As colleagues take annual leave over the summer, theatre lists will open up. This is a genuine opportunity to make inroads into your waiting lists. We would far rather see that capacity used well than sit idle.

To book either, please contact our reservations team on [email protected] or 0207 460 5701. Alternatively, please speak to Carola directly on [email protected] or 07707 145317. The team is ready to help and will work around your schedule wherever possible.

Andrew McGrath, Finance Director for Health Services

[email protected]

Cromwell Hospital

The latest news and updates from our Kensington hospital.

A new chapter in gynaecology care

On Wednesday 5 August, we celebrated the new Gynaecology Outpatient Department opening with an official ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Designed to enhance the patient experience, the new facility brings consultation, treatment, and recovery together in one dedicated space, providing a smoother and more streamlined patient pathway.

The opening marks another important step in our continued investment in modern facilities that enable us to deliver exceptional patient-centred care.

New inpatient pharmacy at Cromwell Hospital; ?>

Inpatient pharmacy relocation

As part of the latest milestone in our Ground Floor and Basement transformation, we are pleased to announce the opening of our new inpatient pharmacy on Monday 3 August, followed by the opening of our new outpatient pharmacy on Monday 10 August.

The map linked below shows the location of the new pharmacy. It is situated within the new ground floor space, opposite the Kensington reception. The green arrows highlight the routes you can take to reach it.

We look forward to welcoming you. If you have any questions, please contact Holly O'Brien, Chief Pharmacist, at [email protected].

View the map >

New launch: Robotic-assisted paediatric urology

Miss Marie-Klaire Farrugia, Consultant Paediatric Urologist, and her team have successfully launched a robotic-assisted paediatric urology service at Cromwell Hospital – an important milestone in the development of its paediatric surgical services.

Miss Farrugia brings an established NHS robotic surgery practice, spanning 12 years. The da Vinci robotic platform gives surgeons enhanced precision, including three-dimensional visualisation and finely controlled instruments, particularly suited to operating within the small space of a child's abdomen. This helps surgeons perform complex reconstructive procedures with greater dexterity and accuracy.

Robotic-assisted urology procedures, including pyeloplasty, nephrectomy, and ureteric reimplantation, can be performed in children as young as two years old. Because the procedure is carried out through small 8mm incisions, children recover faster: they experience less pain, with reduced analgesic requirements, and a quicker return to normal activities. Most children are able to go home the morning after surgery, and the small incisions also mean less visible scarring. Outcomes following robotic-assisted paediatric surgery are comparable to open approaches, while offering the added benefits of a minimally invasive procedure.

Miss Marie-Klaire Farrugia said: "We are delighted to be offering robotic-assisted surgery in children at Cromwell Hospital, building on a well-established adult robotic surgery service, with the support of an experienced theatre and anaesthetic team, in a safe environment.”

The introduction of robotic paediatric urology strengthens Cromwell Hospital's ability to offer advanced, minimally invasive treatment for children, combining specialist expertise with leading-edge technology to deliver the best possible outcomes.

For more information, please contact [email protected].

Update: Outpatient transformation programme

We are pleased to confirm the arrangements for the next phase of our outpatient transformation programme.

This work is part of our wider redevelopment programme and responds to ongoing challenges for patients who need cardiac diagnostics as part of their care. Feedback about physical access to cardiology diagnostics in the Mews has remained an important area of focus, and these changes support our commitment to delivering world-class care across all specialties.

As a result of these improvements, clinic rooms 1–6 will no longer be available for consultation clinics, and some consultant clinic space will need to be relocated. Consultants directly affected have already been contacted individually, and we are working closely with them and their practice teams to understand their requirements, provide support, and agree practical relocation plans that protect both patient experience and clinical practice.

Work on these improvements commenced on Monday 24 August 2026. You can view the floorplan for the new ground floor outpatient area here.

If you would like to discuss any aspect of the programme, please contact the relevant team member:

Jig Descallar for nursing queries at [email protected]
Shem Jarosiewicz for consultant experience queries at [email protected]
Priscilla Mahendran for business development queries at [email protected]
Debbie Waller for administration or reception queries at [email protected]

Thank you for your understanding, flexibility and continued partnership as we progress this important development for Cromwell Hospital.

Enhanced digital platforms for cardiology and critical care

Cardiology ISCV Upgrade

The IntelliSpace Cardiovascular (ISCV) upgrade represents an important investment in Cromwell Hospital's cardiology services, ensuring the platform remains secure, stable and fully supported. The upgrade enhances system performance, improves reliability and strengthens security, supporting the long-term sustainability of the cardiology digital ecosystem.

ISCV serves as the echocardiography reporting platform, helping clinicians access and manage echocardiogram reports more efficiently. Consultants and clinical teams will benefit from improved reporting workflows, increased system responsiveness and a more consistent user experience.

ICCA Critical Care & Windows11 Upgrades

The successful ICCA upgrade marks a significant step forward in modernising the hospital's critical care technology estate. The new platform delivers improved security, resilience, and supportability, ensuring the system remains aligned with current technology and clinical standards. The upgrade also enables the hospital's wider Windows 11 programme across critical care devices, helping maintain compliance and vendor support. Critical care consultants and multidisciplinary teams will benefit from a more stable and reliable platform to support patient monitoring and clinical documentation. Extensive testing with ICU and Pharmacy teams was completed prior to deployment to ensure clinical safety and operational readiness. For patients, the upgrade strengthens the reliability of the digital systems that support the delivery of critical care, helping clinicians access the information they need when it matters most.

Important: Radiology referrals

To support the efficient processing of radiology referrals and ensure reports reach the correct clinician without delay, we kindly ask all referrers to include the following information on every referral:

full name of the referring Consultant or Doctor
a legible signature
GMC number if the signature is not clearly readable
for referrals submitted by email: headed paper or a practice/hospital stamp

We continue to receive referrals containing only initials, surnames, or illegible signatures, which can delay report distribution while referrer details are verified.

Submitting referrals

Please send all radiology referrals to r[email protected].

To help us process requests more quickly, please include the imaging modality in the email subject line, for example:

MRI referral – Patient name
CT referral – Patient name
Ultrasound referral – Patient name
Report query – Patient name

Following these simple steps helps referrals reach the appropriate team promptly and supports our aim of contacting patients within 24 hours of receipt.

Thank you for your cooperation and continued support in helping us provide a timely and efficient Radiology service.

Download the referral form >

An update from the Dietetics team

2026 has been an exciting year for our team. As we continue to grow, we have welcomed several new team members, increasing our capacity to support both you and your patients.

Looking ahead, our focus for the remainder of the year is on developing our specialist service areas. We are keen to work closely with you to shape new pathways that deliver collaborative, high-quality patient care.

Some of the specialist services we are particularly keen to enhance and develop include:

weight management and GLP-1 packages
gastroenterology
colorectal and HPB services
pre-surgical optimisation
gynaecology and endometriosis
paediatrics

Our team

We would like to remind you of our established dietitians, as well as welcome some new faces.

Elizabeth McCann, Gastroenterology Specialist Dietitian, is keen to expand support for patients with a range of digestive conditions, including complex IBS, IBD, and SIBO. She also has a particular interest in supporting women with endometriosis who experience gastrointestinal symptoms. Elizabeth is looking to strengthen dietetic support within gynaecology services, helping to improve the care and management of patients living with endometriosis.

Georgia McConnell, Surgical Specialist Dietitian, is leading the expansion of dietetic support for colorectal and hepato-pancreatobiliary (HPB) patients, both before and after surgery. With a particular interest in optimising nutrition ahead of surgery, Georgia is passionate about helping patients achieve the best possible outcomes through targeted nutritional interventions.

Our newest team member, Claire Norbitt, is an Oncology Specialist Dietitian who is looking to further develop and enhance our oncology services. She is particularly interested in expanding dietetic prehabilitation and rehabilitation support for patients undergoing cancer treatment and surgery, helping to optimise nutrition before treatment and throughout recovery.

We have also increased our paediatric dietetic provision through the addition of two new bank dietitians. This strengthens both our inpatient and outpatient services and provides further opportunities to enhance care for children, young people, and their families. We have also expanded capacity within our general adult outpatient service.

Our team continues to optimise their experience and expertise by attending external training, courses, and conferences including BAPEN and ESPEN to ensure you are receiving the best in dietetic expertise for your patients.

Contact us

If you would like to discuss a referral, service development opportunities, or learn more about our dietetic services, please get in touch:

Dietetic Department: 020 7460 5566, ext. 7065
Email: [email protected]
Amanda Herbert, Lead Dietitian:
- Mobile: 07901 663680
- Email: [email protected]

Visit our webpage >

Remembering Dr Sherif Raouf

18 October 1963 – 7 August 2026

It is with great sadness that we share the news that our friend and colleague, Dr Sherif Raouf, sadly passed away on Friday 7 August 2026, surrounded by his family.

Sherif had been with us at Cromwell Hospital since 2021 and was a wonderful friend and colleague to so many. We will always remember him as a kind and lovely man and a brilliant doctor who gave so much to his patients.

Sherif fought pancreatic cancer bravely, and, after an initial improvement, we were able to welcome him back part-time to continue doing the job he loved.

Many of us will feel the loss of Sherif deeply, particularly those who had the privilege of working closely with him.

Flowers and messages of condolences will be arranged on behalf of Cromwell Hospital. If you would like to send a card or message of condolence to Sherif’s family, please contact Dr Sarah Frankton at [email protected].

Fundraising in memory of Annabella Tranfa

In October 2025, we sadly lost our colleague and friend Annabella (Bella) Tranfa-De La Cruz to cancer.

Bella was a truly special part of the Cromwell family, leading the Diagnostics Admin team with warmth and kindness and providing exceptional care to our patients for almost 20 years.

Please join us in supporting John De La Cruz, Bella’s husband, alongside close friends and colleagues, Munir Umar and Karlos Bruckmueller, as they take on the Big Half in memory of Bella, while raising funds for Macmillan Cancer Support.

Bella touched the lives of so many with her warmth, kindness, and dedication. Every donation will help Macmillan continue providing vital support to people living with cancer and their loved ones.

If you'd like to support this important cause and help honour Bella's memory, please visit the fundraising page.

Consultant compliments

We are delighted to share the following reviews for consultants working at Cromwell Hospital, which were collected via our patient experience platform, Medallia.

Canary Wharf

What's new at our outpatient diagnostic centre located in East London.

New service: Complex Spine London

We're pleased to welcome Complex Spine London to Bupa Health Care Canary Wharf as part of a new partnership that strengthens our spinal and pain offering.

As one of the UK's largest dedicated spinal and pain specialist groups, Complex Spine London brings together expertise across spinal surgery, pain medicine, radiology, and rehabilitation, supporting the assessment and management of both common and complex spinal conditions.

The service takes a multidisciplinary approach to care, bringing together expertise from across several specialties to support personalised treatment recommendations for a wide range of spinal and pain-related conditions.

Please join us in welcoming the Complex Spine London team to the centre.

London Medical

What's new at our outpatient and diabetes specialist centre located in Marylebone.

Consultant engagement

Building strong relationships with our consultants remains one of our highest priorities at London Medical.

We’ll be holding dedicated Consultant Engagement sessions on:

Monday 7 September
Wednesday 16 September
Friday 25 September

These informal sessions are an opportunity to meet the London Medical leadership team, get to know one another, discuss your clinics, share ideas and feedback, and explore how we can continue to improve our services and support your practice.

We hope as many of you as possible will be able to join us and look forward to seeing you there.

GP events: Get involved

As part of our continued focus on building stronger relationships with local GPs and growing referral pathways into London Medical, we would love for our consultants to join us at upcoming GP events.

These events are a great opportunity to meet local GPs, build relationships, discuss your specialist services and areas of expertise, and help raise awareness of the services and referral pathways available at London Medical.

If you would be interested in attending or presenting at a future GP event, please let the London Medical team know.

Introducing Dr Megan Shakesheff

We’re delighted to welcome Dr Megan Shakesheff, Clinical Psychologist, to the London Medical consultant team.

Dr Shakesheff works with both adults and young people and has a particular interest in supporting patients living with long-term health conditions, particularly diabetes and gastroenterology. She specialises in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) and is also Lead Psychologist within the Paediatric Diabetes team at St George’s Hospital.

Her expertise further strengthens our multidisciplinary service, and we encourage consultants to consider referring patients who may benefit from specialist psychological support alongside their medical care.

Basinghall Clinic

The latest updates from our outpatient diagnostic centre in the heart of the City.

Basinghall CPD Mixer: Thursday 10 September

Our next Basinghall CPD Mixer will be on Thursday 10 September. This event will focus on our MSK, physiotherapy, and orthopaedic services, featuring a programme of 20-minute talks from four key consultants, followed by an opportunity to network with colleagues.

Our previous mixer was a huge success, and we would be delighted to welcome consultants from across our network. The event will take place at Basinghall Clinic from 6.30pm onwards, and everyone is welcome to attend.

Now live: Colposcopy

Our new colposcopy service is now live, enabling us to provide faster access to dedicated care for more customers.

Consultants wishing to refer a patient can contact the Basinghall Clinic coordinators ([email protected]), who will support with bookings and any referral queries.

Now open: New treatment room

Our new treatment room is now fully operational, creating additional capacity and supporting the continued growth of Basinghall. The space will enable us to expand the range of treatments available at the centre, including further gynaecology and urology procedures.

We hope you enjoyed this month's newsletter. For queries, please contact [email protected].