The Royal Free began as a pioneering organisation and continues to play a leading role among UK hospital trusts. Established in 1828 by William Marsden, a newly qualified surgeon shocked that he could not find treatment for a penniless young woman, we were the first to provide care free of charge and the only London hospital to stay open during the 19th-century cholera epidemics.
In the 21st century, we continue to lead improvements in healthcare, from targeted cancer therapies to new kinds of surgery. We offer an exceptionally wide range of local and specialist services, including cancer, plastic surgery, vascular, haemophilia and infectious diseases and are proud to have some of the best clinical outcomes in the country. A regional centre for kidney and liver diseases and a major transplantation centre, we see around 700,000 patients a year from all over the world.
We are a campus of UCL Medical School and conduct important medical research. We also train doctors, nurses, midwives and many other clinical and non-clinical professionals. We helped to set up the academic health science centre, UCLPartners.
We were Dr Foster's 'large trust of the year' for 2010 and were particularly praised for our patient safety and infection control record. We are ranked among the best English trusts for mortality rates - our rate is 25 per cent below that expected. Our infections rates are some of the lowest in London teaching hospitals.
On 1 April 2012 we were authorised as a foundation trust by the regulator Monitor. We plan to use the greater freedoms this brings us to provide the best possible services for our patients and local community.
Our mission is to be in the top 10 per cent of English hospitals for clinical quality, customer satisfaction, staff satisfaction and financial performance. We want to give patients the best possible care in a safe, clean and welcoming environment.
| Contact us |
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Royal Free Hospital
Pond Street
London NW3 2QG |
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020 7794 0500
0844 8480700 (local rate number when calling from outside of London) |
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