In 2027, a new private medical centre will open just south of Cambridge, bringing specialist consultations, diagnostic testing and day-case treatment together under one roof. Welbeck Cambridge is being built at Unity Campus with a straightforward ambition: to make private healthcare more accessible, convenient and joined-up for patients across the region.
For many patients, the ideal experience is simple. See the right specialist without unnecessary delays, get the tests and answers needed to understand a condition, and, where clinically appropriate, receive treatment and return home the same day. Welbeck Cambridge has been designed around that experience.
More than £34 million is being invested in the new centre, while almost 150 consultants are joining as partners across 18 specialist services. The investment will provide the technology, diagnostic equipment and operating facilities; the consultants bring expertise across a broad range of medical specialties. Together, they form the foundation of a consultant-led model designed to bring different aspects of care closer together.
A different approach to private healthcare
One of the defining features of Welbeck Cambridge is its relationship with its doctors. Consultants join Welbeck as partners, giving them a direct role in shaping how services are delivered. The result is a centre that is designed around the needs of both clinicians and patients, with specialists from different disciplines working alongside one another.
That collaborative approach can be particularly valuable when a patient’s needs cross more than one specialty. Having consultants, diagnostics and treatment facilities in the same centre creates opportunities for closer collaboration and a more connected patient journey.
The model has already been established in London. Welbeck’s first centre opened in 2019 and now works with more than 400 clinicians, caring for more than 100,000 patients each year. Its 21 specialist centres focus on individual areas of medicine, ranging from heart care to digestive health.
Welbeck Cambridge will build on that experience, with a particular focus on outpatient care, diagnostics and minimally invasive procedures. Where treatment is suitable for day care, the aim is for patients to receive the care they need without the disruption of a prolonged hospital stay.
Bringing diagnosis and treatment together
The new centre is taking shape within the Orion Building, a 32,000 sq. ft facility at Unity Campus. Its design brings many of the services involved in a patient’s journey together in one location, including:
- Diagnostic imaging: MRI, CT, digital X-ray, DEXA bone scanning and 3D mammography.
- Day surgery: modern operating theatres supporting specialties including orthopaedics, ENT, general surgery, gynaecology, breast surgery, dermatology and cardiac procedures.
- Endoscopy and minor procedures: dedicated suites alongside private recovery areas.
- Patient support: an on-site pharmacy and digital healthcare systems.
For patients, having these services under one roof can make the journey simpler. A consultation, diagnostic test and procedure may all be able to take place at the same centre, reducing the need to travel between different healthcare sites.
The facility has also been designed with flexibility in mind, allowing space for new technology and services to be introduced as the centre develops.
Specialist care, closer to home
Location is another important part of the proposition. Welbeck Cambridge will be situated close to the M11 and Whittlesford Parkway station, with more than 150 free parking spaces, including provision for electric vehicles. For patients in Cambridge and the surrounding region, the centre will provide a local alternative to travelling to London to access Welbeck’s model of private specialist care.
Its services will span a broad range of healthcare needs, including heart and lung health, digestive health, orthopaedics, women’s and men’s health, ENT, skin health, neurology and pain management. Some services will be available through direct booking, while others will require a referral from a GP or another specialist, depending on the type of care.
The centre’s impact is also expected to extend beyond patient care. Welbeck Cambridge is creating opportunities across nursing, diagnostic imaging, operating theatres, pharmacy, administration and patient services.
Its location at Unity Campus also places it within one of the world’s leading life science communities. This creates potential opportunities for collaboration with local researchers, universities and healthcare organisations as the centre becomes established.
Building towards the 2027 opening
With construction progressing, and Welbeck Cambridge’s leadership team is in place, the months ahead will focus on completing the centre, installing specialist medical equipment, welcoming additional consultant partners and recruiting the clinical and non-clinical teams who will deliver the patient experience day to day.
Welbeck Cambridge is scheduled to open in 2027, alongside a sister centre in Oxford. The openings represent an important step in Welbeck’s expansion beyond London and its ambition to bring its consultant-led approach to more patients across the UK.
For Cambridge and the surrounding region, the result will be a new option for private specialist care, with consultations, diagnostics and treatment brought together in a purpose-built centre close to home. Patients, clinicians and prospective employees can sign up for updates as Welbeck Cambridge moves towards opening.
