NHS and local businesses working together

This is how a Victorian era building has been transformed into a hub for NHS services and local businesses working together in the same space.

Coldharbour Works was a former grain house when it opened 100 years ago until it was converted into a business centre for local people starting their own business ventures.

The 40,000 sq ft building was leased and sold to the NHS two years ago and since 2021 it has since become a crucial resource to the NHS in Brixton and has helped relieve pressure from the King’s College Hospital in Camberwell.

In December 2021 we bought the purpose-built facility which provides high-quality NHS services for patients such as outpatient physiotherapy, musculoskeletal and routine hand therapy.

The building refurbishments finished in 2022 and it is now equipped with brand new clinical areas, a gym to support patients with their rehabilitation needs and supports the growing trend for moving services out of hospitals to free up space for additional capacity as well as improving patient experiences.

Gazie Kadi, Building Manager: The NHS were looking for available buildings, so they could transfer services from Camberwell to the new location and it just so happened that they came across this building. Most of their workers are doing research but we have got an outpatients area with the ground and first floor therapy department for rehabilitation and we have a gymnasium on the ground floor and the first floor is where clients from King’s have their appointments here in terms of rehabilitation and getting themselves back on the mend."

“The patients we have here as well all love the building. From the outside you wouldn’t realise how big the building is but when you come in you realise its quirky.”

"The ground floor of the building is also home to six independent businesses that were signed onto long term leases when the building first opened as a business centre and this gives the space a real community feel, particularly with the public café in the central courtyard area.

“The building is like my baby, I’ve been here five years and the layout of the building has completely changed so for me it’s been amazing seeing the transformation from when it was a normal business centre and then all of the sudden the NHS came in and got the refurbishments done. I love dealing with people I love interacting with people, clients, outpatients I love working with these really good people.

“Everyone gets along with each other in the building having that day-to-day interaction with different people is the best thing about working here. I really like working with our clients on the ground floor as well. We all look after each other and it’s just a fantastic place to work.”