Dr Assem Allam: Former Hull City owner in diabetes centre donation

A new £7.5m research and treatment centre for people with diabetes has opened in Hull after a cash donation from a former football club owner.

Dr Assem Allam donated £3m to build the centre at Hull Royal Infirmary, which is set to treat 9,000 people a year.

Dr Allam, who until recently owned Hull City AFC, has donated millions of pounds to NHS projects in the city.

The facility will "reaffirm Hull's reputation as a global leader in research", the hospital trust said.

Dr Allam, who took ownership of Hull City in 2010, said it was a "privilege" to be involved in diabetes research.

The Allam Diabetes Centre is part-funded by Dr Allam and Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, the trust said.

This new "centre of excellence" is serving as a hub to treat more than 9,000 people every year for diabetes and metabolic bone diseases such as osteoporosis.

Dr Allam said the new building would support "world-class" research in the field of diabetes and endocrinology, with clinical trials already taking place.

"Not only does the building do justice to the care and dedication of the existing clinical and research teams, but also it will play its part in continuing to attract high calibre staff to the area," he added.

Chris Long, chief executive of Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, said the trust was grateful to the Allam family for the donation.

"When combined with the innovation, experience and significant expertise of our clinical and research teams, I'm confident that Hull can now cement its reputation as a global leader in the fields of diabetes and endocrinology service provision and research."

Dr Allam, whose time in charge of Hull City was marred by controversy, has also made contributions to the trust including a birth centre, robotic surgery development and cancer research centres.

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