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Born in Iran, Zohreh Palmer arrived in the UK in 1978 after completing her national service. She trained in nursing and, once qualified, spent a year working in the NHS before moving to London to join the independent sector. Here she specialised in burns and plastics and progressed to Deputy Director of Nursing.In 2013, Zohreh made a bold career change, returning to study as a therapist alongside

Nursing and midwifery staff who have gone above and beyond for their patients and colleagues over the last year have been recognised at Guy’s and St Thomas’.Now in its 11th year, the Trust’s annual Nursing and Midwifery Awards received more than 700 nominations across 26 categories.Chief Nurse Professor Avey Bhatia hosted the awards ceremony, with speakers and presenters including Kate Brintworth,

Exceptional nursing and midwifery staff from Guy’s and St Thomas’ have been celebrated with a unique professional award inspired by Florence Nightingale.This year the Nightingale Award was presented to 135 nurses, midwives, nursing assistants, maternity support workers, healthcare assistants and nursing associates. To receive the award recipients must provide evidence from their managers, peers an

A large international trial has shown that high‑flow nasal oxygen therapy does not improve recovery outcomes compared with standard oxygen therapy in patients at increased risk of respiratory complications following cardiac surgery.These findings come from the NOTACS Trial (Nasal High-flow Oxygen Therapy After Cardiac Surgery), a large multicentre randomised clinical trial investigating recovery i

The inaugural Heart Lung and Critical Care Innovation Accelerator Programme held its first judges panel pitch event on 18 March 2026, held at the Governor’s Hall at St Thomas’s Hospital.The Innovation Accelerator Programme is a new initiative led by Dr Nana Theodorou associate director for research, with the support of Dr Ehaar Emir-El, R&D senior research project manager, aimed at bringing fresh,

A pioneering clinical trial led by clinicians at Royal Brompton Hospital, has revealed promising early results for a new treatment option for people living with emphysema.Emphysema is a form of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) that damages the walls of the tiny air sacs in the lungs, known as alveoli. This damage leads to trapped air, breathlessness, and reduced quality of life. It is

Ian Playford has been reappointed for a second term as a Non-Executive Director on the board at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust.His reappointment was approved at a meeting of the Trust's Council of Governors, which includes elected representatives of patients, members of the public and staff. The appointment is for four years, until 30 April 2030.Ian was appointed as a non-executive dire

A recent study has found that patients requiring urgent heart valve replacement can achieve similar long‑term survival regardless of which of two commonly used valve types is chosen, according to a new study led by cardiologists at both Royal Brompton and Harefield hospitals.This supports the premise that doctors can select the valve and procedural approach based on each patient’s individual anato

Harefield Hospital has been chosen as one of the UK’s first lung transplant centres to take part in a pioneering nationwide programme to increase lifesaving organ transplants by nearly a fifth.NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) has launched the first Assessment and Recovery Centres (ARCs) – specialist hubs where donated organs can be preserved and assessed using advanced technology. The first lung A

A recent study has found that patients with early‑stage non‑small cell lung cancer tend to live longer when their lung surgery is carried out using a minimally invasive technique called video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS), compared to traditional open surgery.Published in The Lancet, and led by Professor Eric Lim, consultant thoracic surgeon at Royal Brompton Hospital, the study explored f

From joining the NHS graduate management training scheme in 1988 to dedicating 31 years to specialist heart and lung care, Robert Craig’s professional journey with Royal Brompton and Harefield hospitals has been deeply meaningful.Early in his career, he developed an interest in specialist NHS services and applied for a role at Harefield, partly inspired by the world-renowned transplant pioneer Pro

A recent study has found that treating patients with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) with the drug nalbuphine ER reduces both measured and reported cough frequency. Published in JAMA and led by Professor Philip Molyneaux, consultant respiratory physician, at Royal Brompton Hospital, the CORAL study was a double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial, which is a type of trial where neither th

Congratulations to Dr Brian Halliday, consultant cardiologist at Royal Brompton Hospital, who has been awarded funding to establish cutting-edge multinuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy at our hospitals, paving the way for world‑leading precision medicine research in heart disease.Funded by the Royal Brompton and Harefield Hospital Charity, this grant will upgrade the current Cima X MRI scanne

A new tool, known as ONCO-ACS score, has been developed following a study coordinated by clinicians at Royal Brompton Hospital. The tool is designed to help estimate the risk of death, bleeding and other complications in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) who also have a history of cancer.The study was published in the Lancet and led by Professor Thomas Lüscher, consultant cardiologist an

An 11-year-old boy has become the first person in the UK to have a hole in his heart repaired using a biodegradable device which gradually dissolves inside the body. The innovative operation took place at Guy’s and St Thomas’.James Hoddinott, who dreams of becoming a marine biologist, is determined to learn to scuba dive in open water. But he was born with a hole in his heart, which increases the

Health Secretary Wes Streeting has described world-leading robotic lung surgery at Royal Brompton, part of Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, as “amazing” and “what the future of the NHS looks like.”Mr Streeting was speaking during a visit to Royal Brompton’s Diagnostic Centre, where he was shown the robotic Ion Endoluminal System (Ion) from technology company Intuitive, that allows clinic

Lawrence Tallon, former Deputy Chief Executive of Guy’s and St Thomas’, studied history rather than healthcare, but even then, he knew he wanted a career with real purpose.With experience across the civil service, the NHS and overseas healthcare, Lawrence joined Guy’s and St Thomas’ in March 2020, just days before the pandemic was declared and the Royal Brompton and Harefield merger was about to b

Three Guy’s and St Thomas’ staff members have been recognised in the King’s New Year Honours 2026.Amanda Pritchard, Chief Executive of Guy’s and St Thomas’, was made Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in recognition of her service to the NHS since starting her career in 1997 and including her service as Chief Executive of NHS England.Lorenzo Garagnani, consultant orthopaedic h

A recent study conducted by the cardiac surgical team at Harefield Hospital has revealed that performing heart bypass surgery without a heart-lung machine leads to better long-term survival for patients with advanced coronary artery disease.Coronary artery disease is a condition in which blood vessels supplying the heart are narrowed or blocked. To restore this vital blood supply, surgeons perform

A UK-first study, carried out at Royal Brompton and St Bartholomew’s hospitals, has demonstrated that clinicians can safely and effectively reach and biopsy small nodules in difficult-to-access areas of the lung.The new clinical study has shown that shape-sensing robotic-assisted bronchoscopy using Intuitive’s Ion endoluminal system (Ion) could help patients with suspected lung cancer to receive a