Moorfields satellite clinic opens after pause in plans

Plans to open the clinic were paused in February after King’s College London Hospital Foundation Trust objected that no procurement process had been held.

King’s currently provides ophthalmology services in the area since the break-up of the South London Healthcare Trust last year.

King’s sent a legal letter to Dartford, Gravesham and Swanley Clinical Commissioning Group questioning why a procurement process had not been held.

The CCG had concluded that a procurement process was not necessary because a range of providers were available to patients in the area.

This objection has now been resolved and the Moorfields clinic will run alongside the King’s service.

The clinic opened on Monday and will run three days a week.

Moorfields now operates eye care services at 23 satellite sites.

Declan Flanagan, medical director for Moorfields Eye Hospital, said: “The Moorfields team are delighted to be working in Darent Valley Hospital and with the local community in Dartford, providing patients with a comprehensive range of services to treat a variety of eye conditions, and bringing high-quality eye care closer to their homes and reducing the need for patients to travel.”