Moorfields Eye Hospital has provided Islington councillors with an update on its performance and future plans, highlighting ongoing estate improvements and digital transformation.
During a meeting of the Health, Wellbeing and Adult Social Care Scrutiny Committee, Jon Spence, Chief Operating Officer, and Simmi Naidu, Chief Nurse, presented the hospital's annual performance update. The committee heard that Moorfields operates across more than twenty sites and is actively working to update and improve its facilities, aiming for greater consistency across its network. This includes plans for a new Centre for Eye Health in Camden, scheduled to open in summer 2027, and incremental improvements made annually, with recent work focused on replacing the theatre at Ealing and improving consistency of provision at Bedford. Further estate work is expected in future years.
A new performance framework has been implemented, and Moorfields is reportedly performing well against a broader range of indicators than previously measured. The organisation is also performing highly nationally in the NHS Oversight Framework. Specific metrics where Moorfields scores highly include 8-week Referral to Treatment (RTT), 52-week elective waits, and A&E 4-hour performance. Areas with lower scores include RTT performance versus plan, implied productivity, and the 'raising concerns' element of the Staff Survey.
Moorfields is also shifting towards community-based care, aligning with its ten-year plan. This shift is expected to improve patient access and allow for services to be managed locally or closer to home where clinically appropriate. The SPARC (Single Point of Access for Referral and Coordination) system is a digitally-enabled tool designed to ensure patients are treated in the right place at the right time, while also exercising choice. This system has led to a significant reduction in urgent referral processing time and has resulted in 40% of referrals being redirected to the most appropriate service, with 58% of urgent referrals safely downgraded.
Key priorities for the coming year include the implementation of a new Electronic Patient Record (EPR) system, named MoorConnect, which is anticipated to go live in October. The EPR system is expected to improve the capability and efficiency of the system, allowing clinicians in the community and hospital services to work more closely together to streamline care.
Moorfields continues to be a primary user of the NHS App and is advancing digital innovations. These include the MoorConnect EPR system, progressing its digital pathways agenda, and supporting digital triage and referral management via the NHS App. The Attend Anywhere system in A&E has enabled bookable patient slots and increased flexibility, with further expansion planned. Additionally, Moorfields has been featured in the national press for its role in the new NHS Online service, which uses the NHS App for triage, video consultations, and remote monitoring.
System leadership across North Central London is described as effective, with consistent approaches embedded across acute eye-care sites. Waiting times for high-volume, low-complexity services have been reduced.
The committee noted Moorfields' quality priorities, which encompass clinical effectiveness, patient experience, and patient safety, with the aim of ensuring equitable access and timely care. Engagement with regulators and partners has been a significant focus.
Staff survey participation has increased, showing early signs of improvement.
