Reconnect

Zohreh Palmer moved to Britain from Iran in the late 1970s to become a nurse.    Following a successful career in the independent sector and with plans to retrain as a coach, she was presented with an unexpected opportunity to join Royal Brompton and Harefield hospitals in 2014, to set up their state‑of‑the‑art diagnostic centre at Wimpole Street.   Dra...

Robert Craig spent more than three decades at the heart of specialist heart and lung care, shaping the services at Royal Brompton and Harefield hospitals with remarkable dedication.   Arriving at Harefield in 1994, he quickly discovered a place unlike any other; one that blended deep expertise, pioneering research, and a distinctive sense of community. &nbsp...

Lawrence Tallon began his career working in Whitehall, as a Fast Stream civil servant at the Department of Health and Social Care. Following a range of government and leadership roles in hospitals in the UK and the Middle East, in 2020, he joined Guy’s and St Thomas’ (GSTT) as Deputy Chief Executive. A role he held for 5 years, in which he successfully led the merger of GSTT and the Royal Brompton...

Educated at Oxford University, Professor Richard Underwood has dedicated his career to advancing the field of cardiac imaging and improving outcomes for patients with heart disease. His research and teaching have influenced generations of clinicians, combining scientific innovation with a deep commitment to patient care. His work has helped bridge the gap between imaging science and ever...

Dr Fernando Riesgo Gil has been a consultant cardiologist at Harefield Hospital for a decade. He is also the clinical lead for heart transplantation.    Dr Riesgo Gil graduated from the School of Medicine at the Autonoma University in Madrid, Spain. He completed his specialty training in cardiology at the Hospital Universitario de la Princesa in Madrid. In 2013, Dr Riesgo Gil spent two y...

Alison Pottle became one of the first cardiology nurse consultants in the UK at Harefield Hospital in June 2000. In this position, she has played a pivotal role in developing and leading innovative nurse-led services, particularly in cardiac rehabilitation and secondary prevention. She has been a passionate advocate for patient-centred care and multidisciplinary collaboration, helping to improve r...

Educated in his natal Egypt, Professor Sir Magdi Yacoub made his name at Harefield Hospital to become one of the world’s most eminent cardiothoracic surgeons. In 1983, he achieved worldwide recognition for performing the first heart and lung transplant in Europe and went on to develop many groundbreaking procedures. At Harefield, he established what was to become one of the largest and most succes...

Professor Anita Simonds joined the Royal Brompton Hospital in the 1980s as an SHO, and has been associated with it to this date.   She has been instrumental in developing respiratory and sleep medicine at the Royal Brompton, and in turn influencing the care delivered to patients all over the world. Join us as we discuss not only her time at our hospital, but also her crucial role in informing...

Educated at Cambridge University and Guy’s Hospital, Professor John Pepper was a consultant cardiothoracic surgeon at the London Chest Hospital and St George’s Hospital before moving to the Brompton in 1991.  His Brompton career as a consultant cardiac surgeon spanned over 30 years   Join us as we discuss not only his time at our hospital, but also his crucial role in research and c...

Professor Malcolm Green has been associated with the Royal Brompton Hospital in different capacities for over 55 years. From becoming a respiratory SHO, and being appointed a consultant respiratory physician, to serving as a Non-Executive Director. Join us as we discuss not only his time at our hospital, but also his role setting up the British Lung Foundation, his time as Dean of the National Hea...