New community eye clinic for Lancashire is opened

By Rob Kelly

11 Oct 2024

Practice Plus Group opening the centre

A new permanent eye care facility has opened in the heart of Bamber Bridge, just three miles from Preston.

Opened yesterday by the Mayor and Mayoress of South Ribble Borough Council, the new Practice Plus Group facility has been purpose built due to higher patient demand in the area.

The new purpose-built ophthalmology treatment centre will primarily focus on treatment of Adult Macular Degeneration (AMD) – the number one cause of sight loss in the UK, affecting 1.5 million people each year. 

As well as the Mayor and Mayoress, the Practice Plus Group team also welcomed guests from The Macular Society, the Lancashire Local Optical Committee, as well as new and existing patients from the region.

Run by a skilled ophthalmology team, the Practice Plus Group Ophthalmology Treatment Centre, will replace its former mobile eye unit situated in B&Q car park, Craven Drive, Preston, which has served the local community and surrounding areas for seven years – freeing up the mobile unit to cover a broader area and give greater access to eye treatments to people in neighbouring communities.

The Preston-based eye clinic will provide a permanent fixed-site in Bamber Bridge, located at Unit 10, Cottonmill Road, to support the group’s extensive mobile eye clinic programme in the region.  

The centre will serve as a central hub for eye care in the Preston region, and complement the group’s 20 mobile eye clinics each week for patients located in Chorley, Longridge, Fulwood, Tameside, Bury and Yorkshire as well as Winchester in the South of England.

Practice Plus Group’s CQC rated ‘Outstanding’ eyecare clinics are estimated to reduce waiting times and provide quick and effective treatment for patients who have been GP or optician referred for Wet AMD, diabetic macular oedema or retinal vein occlusions. Patients will be offered an appointment well within the national two-week referral guidelines.

Since launching its well-regarded eye-treatment clinics in 2014 the group has invested significantly into its treatment services on behalf of the NHS. The new high-specification clinic at Bamber Bridge incorporates a welcoming reception area, waiting room, assessment suites and treatment rooms in which patients receive the sight-stabilising injections required for AMD treatment.

The prestigious treatment centre has been under development for the past nine months and has been built by local contractors Fast Fix. The centre will provide greater access to premium eye-care. 

Caroline McHugh service director for Ophthalmology, said: "We are delighted to expand our services in the North of England with the opening of our new specialist eye clinic in Bamber Bridge.

 “We aim to offer patients the very best in ophthalmic care and we continue to deliver excellent outcomes.

"Our new permanent treatment centre will be a central hub for people of Bamber Bridge and surrounding areas and brings with it a skilled team of eye-specialists and boasts lower waiting times and a one stop diagnosis and treatment approach".

Special thanks to everyone who joined us this afternoon especially the Mayor and Mayoress of South Ribble Borough Council, The Macular Society, and the Lancashire Local Optical Committee.

Enjoyed this? Read more from Rob Kelly

Latest news

1

Management buyout at Suresite Group Steve Holden

Management buyout at Suresite Group

17 Oct 2025

2

Meet the influencers who have generated £2m sales for one company Helen and Richard Chalu new

Meet the influencers who have generated £2m sales for one company

16 Oct 2025

3

WHN strengthens position in prestigious legal guide Daniel Long

WHN strengthens position in prestigious legal guide

16 Oct 2025

4

Warden appoints new commercial manager to strengthen project delivery and growth Peter Heskine

Warden appoints new commercial manager to strengthen project delivery and growth

16 Oct 2025

5

Stockley's finds its sweet spot Stockley's front view

Stockley's finds its sweet spot

15 Oct 2025

Background image for hub sign up block

LBV Hub

Leverage Lancashire Business View platforms

Post your news
Post your events
Post your offers
Build your network
Improve your SEO
Gain coverage in the magazine
Sign-up
Events
CMI Level 5 Project Management Course
UCLanAerialCampus.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
21 Feb 2025 - 21 Feb 2026

CMI Level 5 Project Management Course

Preston Campus, Preston, PR1 2HE

08:00 - 17:00

CMI Level 5 Management and Leadership Course
UCLanAerialCampus.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
21 Feb 2025 - 21 Feb 2026

CMI Level 5 Management and Leadership Course

Preston Campus, Preston , PR1 2HE

09:00 - 17:00

Help to grow management course
Help to grow - barriers to growth.png.png
LBV Hub Seminars
26 Sep 2025 - 16 Dec 2025

Help to grow management course

Preston Campus , Preston , PR1 2HE

09:00 - 15:00

RISE - Lancashire's unique leadership programme for women
thumbnail_Emma Weston Illustration WENDY BOWERS RISE Illustrstion.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
22 Oct 2025 - 18 Mar 2026

RISE - Lancashire's unique leadership programme for women

East Lancashire Chamber of Commerce, Clayton le Moors, BB5 5JR

09:30 - 15:30

Women scaling up Blackpool Fylde and Wyre
LBV Hub Seminars
22 Oct 2025 - 09 Jan 2026

Women scaling up Blackpool Fylde and Wyre

The Small Business Academy, Blackpool, FY4 5JX

09:30 - 15:30

HR Essentials for pubs, bars and licensed venues
EventBrite NORi - 22nd Oct Webinar.png.png
LBV Hub Webinar
22 Oct 2025 - 22 Oct 2025

HR Essentials for pubs, bars and licensed venues

Online - Teams, Leyland, PR253XH

13:30 - 15:00

Chamber Business Lunch – October
LBV Hub Networking
24 Oct 2025 - 24 Sep 2025

Chamber Business Lunch – October

Lancaster Golf Club, Lancaster, LA2 0AJ

11:00 - 13:30

North West Business Expo 2025
https---cdn.evbuc.com-images-880456273-4862066883-1-original.20241022-105445.jpeg.jpg
LBV Hub Exhibitions
24 Oct 2025 - 24 Oct 2025

North West Business Expo 2025

Bolton Stadium Hotel, Bolton, BL6 6SF

09:00 - 15:00

Lancaster District Business Support Expo
Lancs-cham-logo.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Networking
29 Oct 2025 - 29 Oct 2025

Lancaster District Business Support Expo

The Platform, Morecambe, LA4 4DB

10:00 - 15:00

Chamber Breakfast Networking – November
Lancs-cham-logo.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Networking
06 Nov 2025 - 06 Nov 2025

Chamber Breakfast Networking – November

Porsche Centre South Lakes, Carnforth, LA6 1FW

08:30 - 10:30

Lancashire Police business update with The Police and Crime Commissioner
Lancs-cham-logo.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Roundtables
10 Nov 2025 - 10 Nov 2025

Lancashire Police business update with The Police and Crime Commissioner

Lancaster Castle, Lancaster, LA1 1YN

14:00 - 16:00

AI, Creativity, and what it means to be human
2.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Networking
11 Nov 2025 - 11 Nov 2025

AI, Creativity, and what it means to be human

Society1, Coworking Space, Preston, PR1 3LT

18:00 - 20:00

Advertise with us

Reaching 50,000 members, our print, digital and event platforms offer a fantastic way to raise your business profile and help you grow.

Find out more LBV124 Online Graphic
Subscribe now

Weekly news bulletin