Member Article

Iconic Hammersmith building to become private healthcare centre creating 2,000 jobs

A major new healthcare investment programme in London, which will see the creation of a ‘super-speciality’ hospital focused on cancer treatment, is set to create up to 2,000 jobs.

Developed by health giant VPS Healthcare Group, the new cancer centre will be created within the historic grade II listed Royal Masonic Hospital in Hammersmith, which closed in 2006.

The new centre, which will be the first private facility in the UK to offer Proton Beam Therapy, will open in 2017 with a bed capacity of 150, supported by around 2,000 staff in jobs ranging from admin, support and service roles to leading specialist healthcare professionals

VPS Healthcare is one of the leading healthcare providers in the Middle East and India, with a particular focus on cancer care.

The investment has been welcomed by the Mayor of London Boris Johnson, whose inward investment agency supported the project and who last year launched MedCity, an initiative to drive forward life sciences research and development, entrepreneurship and commercialisation in England’s greater south east.

The Mayor of London Boris Johnson said:

“This is tremendous vote of confidence in London’s thriving life sciences sector as well as the skills and talent of our amazing healthcare professionals. London is a world leader in medical sciences and through MedCity we are working to generate the jobs and growth that will propel this important sector to even greater things.”

VPS Healthcare owns a network of hospitals, medical centres, pharmaceutical manufacturing operations, an international pharmacy retail chain and medical support services, and currently employs over 7,500 people.

VPS Healthcare’s Founder and Managing Director Dr Shamsheer Vayali says: “The UK has one of the strongest and most productive medical research sectors in the world, contributing to patient well-being as well as supporting breakthroughs in science and driving economic growth. It has a worldwide reputation for excellence in innovation within its universities and is recognised for producing world-class scientists and clinicians.

“VPS Healthcare has been encouraged by the UK Government’s ongoing policy to support health and pharmaceutical companies, and we believe that our investment in this dynamic sector will not only ensure that we play a key role in supporting this initiative, but will also help to grow and develop the next generation of medical breakthroughs.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ellen Forster .