Christie signs first joint venture worth £14m

MANCHESTER’S internationally renowned Christie NHS Foundation Trust has signed its first joint venture with a private hospital group for £14m.

The hospital – which is regarded as one of Europe’s leading cancer research centres treating over 40,000 patients a year – intends to work with the Hospital Corporation of America (HCA).

The £14m will be used to construct the private section of the hospital’s new £35m ‘patient treatment centre’ which is expected to open in early 2011.

It will fund the second phase of the construction of the private patient unit which will specialise in radiotherapy, scanning as well as an outpatients’ service.

The deal is also expected to generate revenue for the hospital in the long-term.

A spokesman for the hospital said: “We’ve been researching this joint venture over a long period and have met with numerous companies.

“But the values of the Hospital Corporation of America ticked every box for us – its a prestigious and very experienced organisation.

“We have private patients at the moment but it has always been a very small unit.

“This collaboration will mean that we are in a position to treat even more private patients in time.

“This joint venture will ultimately bring in extra revenue for the hospital which will be for everyone’s benefit.”

HCA has six hospitals and specialist treatment centres in London which care for patients of all ages and treat everything from straightforward conditions to the most complex and often life threatening illnesses.