NHS Camden Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) has launched a public consultation – open until 16 September – on what they dub ‘exciting proposals’ to move Moorfields Eye Hospital from its current City Road site in London to an advanced new-build eye care and research centre in St Pancras in central London.
The consultation, led by NHS Camden Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) on behalf of all the CCGs, together with NHS England Specialised Commissioning, invites the public to have their say on ‘Oriel’ – the proposal to build a new facility at St Pancras Hospital that would bring together ‘excellent eye care, ground-breaking research, and world-leading education in ophthalmology’ on one site. The proposal is the result of a partnership between Moorfields Eye Hospital, the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, and Moorfields Eye Charity, which would all be housed in the new facility. The Moorfields’ City Road site was built over a century ago.
After the consultation closes, commissioners from 14 London and Hertfordshire CCGs, and NHS England Specialised Commissioning, will decide whether the proposed move should proceed to the next stage of planning. If they approve the proposal, Moorfields and UCL will develop their plans and related business cases reflecting views received during the public consultation, and sell their current City Road site, buying land at St Pancras and appointing a construction firm. The new facility could open to patients in 2025/26.
David Probert, chief executive for Moorfields Eye Hospital, said: “This is a crucial milestone in our ambitious proposal to design, build, and operate a new, integrated eye care, research and education facility. Our ability to provide modern, efficient, and effective treatment is achieved despite the limitations of our century-old City Road site, which sometimes means patients do not always get the best care, delivered in modern ways. That is why we are looking at moving the hospital to a purpose-built centre where we would be able to transform lives, turn research into new treatments faster, and share our knowledge and understanding with the clinicians of tomorrow.
“We’ve already had feedback from over 1,600 people across the country through earlier public engagements, and want to ensure that any future decision is made based on the involvement of those who use and provide our services. I strongly encourage patients, staff, and the wider public, to use this consultation to send us their views.”
