New London eyecare centre named

Moorfields and UCL Centre for Eye Health

A new centre for eyecare, research and education, bringing together Moorfields Eye Hospital, the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology and Moorfields Eye Charity, has been officially named.

The partnership will be called Moorfields and UCL Centre for Eye Health and is expected to open its doors to patients in north London next summer. 

With state-of-the-art facilities, the centre aims to harness the expertise of clinicians and researchers under one roof so patients can gain access to more efficient treatments. Also, people will be able to take part in research more easily. 

The centre has been designed with input from patients and sight loss organisations to ensure it meets a range of diverse needs and delivers a great patient experience.

For staff, students and volunteers, the centre will provide modern spaces to collaborate that will foster innovation between clinicians and researchers. There will also be dedicated wellbeing spaces and facilities, including a garden roof terrace.

Moving to Camden will bring the partners closer to other important health and research partners, including the Bloomsbury campus of UCL, the Francis Crick Institute, University College London Hospital and Great Ormond Street Hospital. 

Moorfields, UCL Institute of Ophthalmology and Moorfields Eye Charity will continue to operate under their own names.

Peter Ridley, chief executive of Moorfields Eye Hospital, said: “Moorfields and UCL Centre for Eye Health will be a place for high quality care for our patients and world-leading innovation in the field of ophthalmic research. I could not be prouder of the work of all our staff and stakeholders who helped make this centre a reality.”

Professor Alan Thompson, Dean, UCL Faculty of Brain Sciences, said naming the centre “marks a defining moment in our ambition to create a world-leading hub for eyecare, research, and education. It reflects the spirit of collaboration at the heart of this project – bringing clinicians, scientists, and patients together to drive innovation and improve lives for generations”.

Robert Dufton, chief executive of Moorfields Eye Charity, said: “This is an important milestone for our new centre for eye health that will serve communities for generations to come. 

“The chosen name reflects the shared vision and values at the heart of the partnership between the charity, Moorfields, and UCL. None of this would have been possible without philanthropic support from the charity and the generosity of the donors who believed in the ambition of this project.

“This support has turned a bold vision into a tangible reality and stands as a testament to what collaboration and philanthropy can accomplish together to achieve world-leading innovation and research in eye health.”

To find out more, visit www.moorfields.nhs.uk