New eye centre
A new eye care centre has opened in an area of London with higher than average rates of sight loss.
The Willesden Eyecare Centre, which will manage up to 10,000 patients a year, will help tackle health inequalities in north west London and manage an anticipated 10% increase in demand for eye care services over the next decade.
The centre is an extension of existing services at Central Middlesex Hospital in Park Royal.
A 2022 NHS review of eye care services recommended more community-based eye care services, with support from secondary care. Another eye care centre is set to open at the Stowe Centre in Westminster and will be run by Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust.
The Willesden centre is managed by London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust. It is conveniently based at the Willesden Centre for Health in Robson Avenue, which is also home to a recently opened Community Diagnostic Centre – one of three Community Diagnostic Centres planned for north west London.
Community Diagnostic Centres are a national initiative to build additional diagnostic capacity. Centres are based in the community and deliberately located to improve access to care in areas impacted by increased deprivation. They help improve access for patients requiring checks, scans and tests, by providing services at a more convenient location.
Pippa Nightingale, Chief Executive of LNWH said: “A community based service is more convenient for patients and will avoid long waits for hospital appointments. GPs and hospital departments will find it easier to refer patients for eye-related diagnostic tests, offering a much faster and more responsive service.
Opening the Willesden Eyecare Centre will make for easier travel and access to diagnostic and monitoring services for many people in north west London.
Pippa added, “This will help us identify eye-related problems at a much earlier stage. Eye conditions make up 9% of all hospital outpatient appointments so this will make a positive impact for our local community.”