The unveiling of a blue plaque at Harefield Hospital on September 29th, to honour Alexander Fleming, is the second in a series of plaques being erected around The Borough of Hillingdon to honour famous people who lived or worked in the borough. The first being William Wilberforce.The unveiling was attended by Professor Sir Magdi Yacoub, the renowned heart transplant surgeon and a group of invited guests. Lord Newton, Chairman of the Royal Brompton and Harefield NHS Trust introduced Cllr. Brian Crowe, the Mayor of Hillingdon who performed the unveiling ceremony.
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The "Topping Out" ceremony for the new Treatment Centre took place on Thursday 17th July 2008. Like the "Turf Cutting" ceremony which took place on 10th January 2007 where there was no turf to cut, likewise at the Topping Out, there was nothing to top! Still we visited the site and were shown round the ground and first floors. After a photo shoot we returned to the Managers meeting room. David McVittie CEO gave a brief outline on the project. See Video.
Construction of the Treatment Centre is on schedule. Hand-over is promised for the 5th December 2008 it will open in January 2009
Complete with 4 operating theatres, 14 day case beds, 12 short stay beds, 24 in-patient beds and 2 High Dependency Units. It will be linked to the completely refurbished Princess Christian Unit, making one light and airy new building.The Treatment Centre will take most planned surgery from Hillingdon Hospital and hopes to make a name for itself as an orthopaedic centre of excellence. It will also have a wide range of outpatient clinics, possibly over an extended working day.David McVitie CEO reassured us that at least 88 more parking spaces will be provided, close to the Treatment Centre, on level ground.
Mount Vernon has had some tough years, but at last it is emerging from the shadows, with a bright future ahead. We are lucky to have it on our door-step, located in Hillingdon Borough.
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Medical Physics is the application of physics to medicine. Its origins are from the use of physics to determine the radiation dose to radiotherapy patients at the turn of the century (20th!!). Physicists now work in many different branches of medicine. However, at Mount Vernon, they are mainly involved in the use of radiation in imaging and radiotherapy. Physicists have a very long training period before they can operate as registered workers within the NHS. Following a degree in physics there are typically at least 4-5 further years of training before registration.
After qualification, Physicists can be found working in the following areas at MVCC (radiotherapy section):
Machine (linear accelerator) quality assurance and dosimetry;
Patient treatment planning using complex computer planning to design individual dose plans for each patient treated on the linear accelerators. This now includes the latest planning techniques that use Intendity Modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) together with Image Guided Radiotherapy (IGRT).
Patient dosimetry: verifying that the planned dose is being deliveredcorrectly, including the use of in-vivo dosimetry and portal imaging.
Teaching and Training of all staff involved with Radiotherapy: Physicists; Radiographers; Clinical Oncologists.
Dr. Edwin Aird's distinguished medical history, to the present day, started when he:-
Trained at Newcastle University (Physics BSc; MSc and PhD) and Newcastle General Hospital. He worked at Newcastle General in Medical Physics; Radiation Physics and Radiotherapy Physics 1967-1985.
Head of Radiotherapy Physics, Barts 1985-1988;
He was appointed Head of Medical Physics, Mount Vernon Hospital 1988-
He is also involved with running National Centre for QA in Radiotherapy Clinical Trials for UK; and Chair of Group for QA in Clinical Trials for EORTC (European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer) 2006-
Part One
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Physics and bio-engineering are little known but essential components of the cancer centre. The highly skilled workforce both service and check the complicated equipment to ensure that the correct amount of radiation is delivered to the area to be treated. It also creates bespoke items to meet individual patient need, such as supports to immobilise limbs or heads during radiation therapy.When new equipment is delivered the physics staff can spend between 2 and 3 months taking measurements to ensure the characteristics of the machine are known. These checks are repeated throughout the machines life as part of a rolling program of quality assurance.
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Pathology, everyone has their own name for the nurses that take our blood samples. As I was on my way in I met a couple of patients with the tell tale cottonwool on the arm, 'just seen the Vampires' , the other had just come from Transylvania. I call John, The Count till I eventually asked someone the correct name. The Phlebotomist. Now we all know.
Donald
Publicity Officer
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