The St Pancras Kidney and Diabetes Centre, currently located at St Pancras Hospital, is set to relocate its dialysis and renal outpatient services to 125 Finchley Road in Camden by 2027. The move is part of the larger St Pancras Hospital Transformation Programme, which aims to redevelop the site and improve healthcare services in North Central London. Following the relocation, the St Pancras Hospital site will see improvements to healthcare services, including a sensitive refurbishment and repair of the South Wing to house intermediate care rehabilitation beds, retaining the heritage of the original Victorian estate. The site will also be the home for Oriel – a new centre for Moorfields Eye Hospital, planned to open in 2027, bringing eye care services and clinical research together.
The Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust (RFL), which provides the services, identified 125 Finchley Road as its preferred location after revisiting its approach following significant concerns about an earlier proposal to move dialysis to the Peckwater Centre. The decision is pending the outcome of a tender process to identify a 'managed service' partner for building and facilities management, with a final location confirmation expected by summer 2026. The RFL Kidney Patients' Association is involved in contributing to the patient experience component of the tender evaluation process, including agreeing relevant evaluation questions, for the procurement of a managed service supplier that is aligned with the proposed service move. As part of the tender evaluation, potential partners will be asked to detail how they will ensure excellent patient experience in the new centre. Patients who are interested in participating in the evaluation of responses to this question have also been identified.
The move aims to provide an improved clinical environment with modern facilities and expanded capacity, featuring 60 dialysis stations compared to the current 42. This increase in dialysis stations will improve access to treatment for patients in need of dialysis. Enhanced infection control, privacy, and patient dignity are also key considerations.
While the new location may result in slightly longer travel times for some patients, the RFL plans to mitigate this. Independent travel analysis based on the current patient cohort has found that 125 Finchley Road is marginally further than St Pancras Hospital for both dialysis patients and renal outpatients. The average journey time by public transport is about six minutes longer for dialysis patients and seven to eight minutes longer for outpatients. To counter this marginal impact, there will be an ambulance drop-off point and improved parking for disabled and non-disabled users at the new location compared to what is currently available at the St Pancras site.
Engagement with patients and carers has been a priority throughout the site selection process. A survey garnered 178 responses, and the RFL Kidney Patients' Association was involved in site visits and setting search criteria. A stakeholder workshop included patients, carers, Camden residents, and community representatives.
According to the Public reports pack, the trust is committed to ensuring continuity of care by transferring current staff to the new unit. They also plan to provide excellent communication and information for all patients, and particularly for those with learning disabilities, neurodiversity or a mental health condition. The team will explore how the service can learn from, implement and be supported by the wider chronic kidney disease service and trust-wide initiatives on improving reasonable adjustments for disabled patients. Potential options include facilitating visits to the new unit so patients can familiarise themselves with the journey and what the unit looks like before they need to go there for treatment.
Concerns about the original proposal to move dialysis to the Peckwater Centre were addressed, leading to the revised plan to locate the unit on Finchley Road. The Public reports pack mentions, As JHOSC may be aware, this process follows significant concern about an original, earlier proposal to move dialysis to the Peckwater Centre. Having heard those concerns from the Peckwater community, we revisited our approach for the relocation of this service.
The North Central London Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee reviewed the plans at their meeting on 12 September 2025, where they discussed the NHS's engagement with patients and stakeholders. Councillor Pippa Connor, Chair of the Adults and Health Scrutiny Panel, and Councillor Matt White, Chair of Overview and Scrutiny Committee, were among the attendees.
