Established in 1932, and situated in the heart of London’s medical community, The London Clinic is one of the UK’s largest private hospitals, which cost approximately £80m to build.
Nestled in an inconspicuous street in Marylebone, the building exudes subtle grandeur and describes itself as “London’s foremost private hospital.” It was first opened by the Duke and Duchess of York, a step which started its 90-year history.
For many years the hospital has also played nurse to a special group of patients, the Royal Family, and most recently Princess Kate where she was admitted for planned abdominal surgery, which is understood not to be cancerous.
In a statement, issued on January 17, Kensington Palace said: “The surgery was successful and it is expected that she will remain in hospital for ten to fourteen days, before returning home to continue her recovery.”
The palace said the Princess of Wales, 42, wishes to apologise for postponing upcoming engagements.
Kate is unlikely to return to public duties until after Easter and Prince William has cancelled some royal engagements to look after their three children, Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, eight, and Prince Louis, five.
The London clinic has an illustrative list of patients including Prince Philip, Princess Margaret, and U.S. President John F Kennedy.
Back in 2013, Prince Philip was admitted to the clinic for what was described as “abdominal investigations”, whilst Princess Margaret was treated there in 1980 to have a benign skin lesion removed.
In 1947, Kennedy, who was then a US Congressman, was diagnosed with Addison’s disease at the clinic and in 1963, actor Elizabeth Taylor obtained treatment there, after falling on a film set.
Foreign Secretary David Cameron, who was PM from 2010 until 2016, was born there in 1966.
All patient bedrooms in the hospital are well-equipped with everything to make a recovery as smooth as possible.
Faciltiies include: a TV, a nurse call system, electronic controlled bed, en-suite bathroom, a phone, and wifi access.
The London Clinic is also a world-leader in private treatment and specialises in care of people diagnosed with cancer and their families. The “Duchess of Devonshire Wing” is one of the most modern and technologically advanced cancer hospitals in the UK, as stated on the London Clinc website.
The hospital is the only hospital in London offering adaptive radiotherapy to people with bladder cancer, and was the first hospital in the UK to scan people with a 3T MRI scanner, which produces superior images to conventional MRI scanners.
It prides itself on its use of technological advances, particularly with cancer care.
On the Care Quality Commission website, The London Clinic has scored the hospital with an overall “good rating”.
