Raising the standard of specialist medical care
From skin cancer treatment and dermatology services, to advanced vein procedures and aesthetic care, a new consultant-led clinic is bringing a unique range of specialist medical treatments to Tunbridge Wells. Eileen Leahy meets the husband-and-wife team Dr Noor Alwash and Mr Mahmoud Salman who are behind this pioneering venture…
Tunbridge Wells Clinic For Skin and Veins has just opened its doors and is bringing a highly unique expert medical offering to the town.
I sat down to chat with its founders and owners, Dr Alwash and Mr Salman, who told me that the new clinic will specialise in dermatology, aesthetic care and vein therapy.
“The difference with TW clinic for skin and veins is that it is led by qualified and experienced consultants who have been working in the NHS and the private sector for years,” explains Dr Alwash.
“When I see patients in the NHS or even privately I struggle to offer a diagnostic biopsy or surgical excision if needed on the same day, so our aim is to be able to see patients and offer investigations and treatment on the same day.”
The pair will be offering a variety of treatments – both cosmetic and medical – as well as the highest standard of care from their two-storey space, which is located on Grosvenor Road.
Dr Alwash will be treating skin conditions including eczema, acne, psoriasis and other inflammatory skin conditions. She will be offering moles check, removal of skin cancer, treatment for sun damage, and removal of benign lesions such as warts or skin tags.
The clinic will also be offering laser hair removal, treatment of skin pigmentation and vascular lesions with light and laser treatment. In addition to treatment with anti-wrinkles, dermal fillers, microneedling, platlets rich plasma (PRP) and polynucliotide (Salmon DNA). Mr Salman will oversee the treatment of varicose veins which include radiofrequency ablation and foam sclerotherapy.
The clinic boasts the gold standard of being approved by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) – the independent regulator of health and social care in England.
Dr Alwash is a highly experienced and respected consultant dermatologist who is currently the joint clinical lead of dermatology and lead for phototherapy and biologic treatment at the dermatology department at East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust.
Mr Salman has been a consultant vascular surgeon since 2011 and is a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of England and also a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow. Both currently work in the private healthcare system and for the NHS.
The clinic is equipped with the latest state-of-the-art technology and boasts a number of treatment and consultation rooms.
“Patients will have quicker access to treatment, less waiting time and, hopefully, less anxiety if they are seen sooner,” explains Mr Salman.
Dr Alwash reveals Tunbridge Wells was the perfect location for their clinic because it is near where the married couple work and live.
Mr Salman is the lead vascular consultant for Sussex, so opening a clinic in Tunbridge Wells made perfect sense.”
The search for the perfect space, however, took a number of years because – as Mr Salman says – “you don’t just buy a clinic”.
“We had to find the right building and then decide – via Tunbridge Wells Borough Council – if it could be converted into the right professional premises for the work we wanted to carry out.”
Dr Alwash adds the renovations took another two years to complete and had to be accessible for those with additional needs, but although that took time, it all worked out well in the end.
“We are very glad and proud to have obtained CQC approval to treat patients at our clinic,” she confirms.
Dr Alwash continues, saying that part of the reason for doing this interview is so that readers of Tunbridge Wells Business Magazine will discover the unique offering the husband-and-wife team have created.
“We have had a lot of people coming to us as we have treated them – or someone they know – before, so that word of mouth is very important to us. But through publicity like this interview and our social media platforms, we hope to reach a wider audience. In essence, we want to let people know our clinic is a very good option for them to be treated at. What’s unique about Tunbridge Wells Clinic For Skin and Veins is that we are consultant-led.”
“We are not like a big chain of clinics. We are totally independent, which means we have a lot more autonomy,” reveals Mr Salman. “And if we can’t treat someone at the clinic, because we are both involved in the private and NHS sectors, we will be able to refer them on.”
They both stress that because they are highly qualified and experienced, it does not mean they will be charging astronomical fees.
“We are very competitive. We are not pricing up just because we are medics.”
Dr Alwash adds that another benefit is that after patients have been treated by Mr Salman, they can then receive post-operative care courtesy of her skin treatments.
And what do both enjoy about their chosen careers?
“For me, it is helping patients on a journey to transform their skin. The first thing we see is the skin – you can’t hide it, so when you can help treat someone who has struggled with theirs, the satisfaction is immense because when the results are working, you can see how happy they become. That’s incredibly rewarding.”
Mr Mahmoud adds that with his line of work, the gratification is almost immediate. “The varicose vein work I carry out can be done in around 35 minutes and the transformation is there to see immediately.
“We are very much providing the best professional service possible at our new clinic.”
Tunbridge Wells Clinic, 50 Grosvenor Road, Tunbridge Wells, TN1 2AS
01892 513 333
07719939777
email: info@tunbridgewellsclinic.co.uk
web: www.tunbridgewellsclinic.co.uk
instagram: @tw.skinandveinsclinic
