BMI Healthcare sponsors medical mission to Philippines

BMI Healthcare has hailed the success of a recent medical mission to the Philippines, in which two of its members of staff took part.

A team of 13 volunteers – including BMI The Blackheath Hospital's consultant anaesthetist Dr John Pook and theatre nurse Ellen Paniamogan – journeyed to the city of Tacloban Layte with the support of BMI Healthcare and charity group MMFC.

During the eight-day mission, they were able to provide urgent medical care to more than 40 infants born with cleft lips and palates, despite the lack of resources available to them at the local state hospital.

Ms Paniamogan said that based on this "real eye-opener" of an experience, she would be keen to work with MMFC again in the future.

BMI The Blackheath Hospital executive director Peter Harris said: "The eight-day mission was one which not only has changed the lives of the children Ellen and Dr Pook treated, but also hers."

Earlier this month, the private healthcare provider earned recognition from Tatler magazine's Best Doctors Guide for 2013, which included 82 BMI Healthcare consultants in the 250-person list.