JEDDAH: King’s College Hospital in London announced that construction has begun on a world-class medical facility in Jeddah, in partnership with Ashmore Group and Saudi Bugshan Group. The new hospital, set to open in 2023, will be the first in Saudi Arabia fully integrated with King’s College facilities in the UK, where it has 178 years of healthcare knowledge, experience and expertise. “We are delighted that King’s, in partnership with Ashmore, is expanding its footprint to Saudi Arabia, following on from the success of our hospital and clinics in the UAE,” said Hugh Taylor, chairman of the hospital in London. “King’s College Hospital has a long history of providing outstanding patient care in London, and as part of our strong roots and global reach strategy we remain committed to delivering outstanding care for patients in Saudi Arabia.” The Jeddah hospital will have a capacity of 150 beds in its first phase and be staffed by more than 1,000 healthcare professionals from the UK and Saudi Arabia. It will benefit from knowledge sharing with King’s research centers in the UK. Afnan Abdulfattah, who earned a doctorate in orthodontics from King’s College Dental Institute, told Arab News: “This makes me, first of all, excited and proud that one of the top, leading colleges has chosen to base one of its hospitals in Saudi Arabia. “This will be very beneficial for the future of medical education in Saudi Arabia, where students will have a chance to benefit from the world’s top doctors, top facilities and the competencies of their own country, serving their country, serving nationals of Saudi Arabia and also residents of Saudi Arabia. It will enhance the field of medicine.” The hospital’s authorities said it will use clinical innovation and smart technologies to provide treatments. More than 40 medical and surgical specialists occupying six specialized clinical floors will focus on women’s health, metabolic disease, bariatric surgery, orthopedics, and heart and vascular conditions. King’s College in London, which is part of Britain’s National Health Service, has a long history of treating patients with complex conditions. It has more than 13,000 staff and treats more than a million patients each year. It is considered one of the country’s busiest hospitals and is also one of the largest teaching hospitals in London. Its hospital in Jeddah will be the first in Saudi Arabia to partner with the UK’s NHS. In 2011, King’s College signed a collaboration agreement with King Fahd Medical City in Riyadh to provide education and training for nurses. It also signed a partnership agreement with the Royal Commission for Riyadh City to open a school in the capital, which welcomed its first students, between the ages of three and eight, in August last year. The agreement includes education from kindergarten level through to high school. Students will benefit from the resources of an institution with 140 years of educational expertise and knowledge.