Leeds Teaching Hospitals signs pioneering agreement
LEEDS Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust has signed a formal Memorandum of Understanding with the King Hussein Cancer Center in Jordan which will see some of Leeds’ pioneering expertise and innovations in cancer treatment shared and developed in the Middle East.
The Leeds Cancer Centre at St James’s University Hospital is one of the largest providers of oncology services in the UK and a global leader in the field. It is part of the Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust – a £1bn organisation which sees nearly 2m patients a year and provides specialist regional hospital services across in the north of England.
Cancer experts in Leeds will be working with the King Hussein Cancer Center on a mutually beneficial collaboration across the spectrum of cancer including training, teaching, research as well as the delivery of healthcare.
Linda Pollard, chair of the Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, signed the Memorandum of Understanding with HRH Princess Ghida Talal of Jordan, the chair of the King Hussein Cancer Foundation last week at the World Islamic Economic Forum held at ExCeL in London.
Pollard said: “Here in Leeds we’ve been developing our expertise in cancer treatment and services for many decades, and we are delighted at this opportunity to share information and expertise on our research and pioneering treatments more widely.
“It was an honour to sign this Memorandum at one of the most important global economic events and I hope this will be the start of a productive international relationship between the two specialist centres.”
HRH Princess Ghida added: “This occasion and partnership being forged today is of special importance. As we continue our pursuit for excellence and equity, building synergies with European leaders in cancer care such as the reputable Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust broadens our global network for the mutual benefit of both institutions and patients in Jordan and the UK.”
The partnership has been developed under the guidance of Healthcare UK, a joint venture between the Department of Health and UK Trade & Investment. It is part of a strategic initiative to give healthcare system providers across the world access to the UK’s healthcare expertise.
Leeds Cancer Centre is one of the leading facilities in its field globally and is at the cutting edge of many developments in cancer care. It recently announced that it has become the first hospital in the UK to offer the fastest, most accurate radiotherapy treatment for cancer patients. The UK’s inaugural installation of the Versa HD Radiotherapy Systems, followed just two months after its global launch, underlines Leeds’ excellence in cancer research and treatment.
Based in the £220m Bexley Wing at St James’s University Hospital, the Leeds Cancer Centre offers specialist treatment to more than 2,500 patients each year from across the Yorkshire region and beyond, including delivering more than 7,000 courses of radiotherapy treatments each year.
King Hussein Cancer Center is the only specialised cancer centre in the Middle East to treat both adult and paediatric patients. It opened its doors in 1997 and is continuing to expand its expertise and services to provide access to state-of-the art cancer facilities to patients in Jordan and the wider region, with a new wing due to open in 2015.
