Hammerson and Aberdeen Standard Investments (“Aberdeen”), joint owners of the flagship destination Brent Cross, announce that Moorfields Eye Hospital is to open its latest diagnostic hub at the destination. The facility, which opens in September, will be Moorfields’ third diagnostic hub outside of its central London hospital.
Moorfields will be taking 15,000 sq ft of space across two floors, in a unit previously occupied by New Look. The agreement is the latest example of how Hammerson, as joint owner and asset manager, is collaborating with businesses and public sector partners to repurpose retail space for alternative uses, including the creation of wellness and community services. The Moorfields hub will benefit from the destination’s easy access via road and public transport and unique role at the heart of the local community.
The hub will offer a monitoring service for existing Moorfields patients with retinal problems or glaucoma – two of the leading causes of preventable sight loss in the United Kingdom. Instead of having to wait to see a doctor, an appointment at the diagnostic hub aims to take patients through a series of rapid tests in around 45 minutes, allowing more patients to be seen.
These test results are then reviewed online by senior consultants who will contact patients about test outcomes and any next steps. In partnership with the National Institute for Health Research Moorfields Biomedical Research Centre and UCL, Moorfields staff will explore innovative new methods of improving efficiency.
Iain Mitchell, UK Commercial Director at Hammerson commented, “Across our portfolio, we are constantly looking at how we can respond to evolving consumer needs, and innovate and enhance our destinations. Over the last year, we have seen how important access to healthcare services is to our communities, and Brent Cross’s easily accessible location and free parking will provide a convenient and safe way for patients to access medical eye care.
The decision by Moorfields to launch its first diagnostic hub within a retail destination is the latest example of how we are repurposing spaces, diversifying the tenant mix and creating vibrant destinations which serve local communities.”
Louisa Wickham, Medical Director at Moorfields Eye Hospital added, “This new diagnostic hub at Brent Cross is a unique opportunity to provide medical eye testing to our patients in a convenient location. Our diagnostic hubs have already proved very popular with patients, and opening another allows more of them to access these services.”