A new community blood testing clinic has opened in Harlow, relocating hundreds of daily appointments from its main hospital site into a town centre clinic.
Located on the first floor of The Harvey Centre, opposite Cineworld, the new facility replaces the main phlebotomy service previously based at The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust (PAHT) and is expected to accommodate around 300 patients each day.
The project was delivered through a partnership between The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust, Health Services Laboratories and Harlow Council, with Health Services Laboratories continuing to operate the phlebotomy service from the new site.
Publicly available information has not identified a main contractor, architect or fit-out specialist involved in the scheme.
The relocation was first announced in late 2025, with the new clinic opening to patients in April 2026, suggesting an accelerated delivery programme of around six months.
No project value, floor area or construction specification details have yet been released.
The clinic has been designed around patient flow, privacy and accessibility, featuring upgraded waiting areas and treatment cubicles intended to improve patient experience while maintaining existing clinical standards.
According to the Trust, relocating the service into the town centre also frees up clinical space within the hospital for more complex and urgent care activity.
Blood testing services will continue to operate at St Margaret's Hospital and Herts and Essex Hospital, while specialist testing and appointments for children under one year old will remain at the main hospital site.
The relocation forms part of a broader “healthcare on the high street” programme being developed in Harlow, aimed at shifting appropriate outpatient and diagnostic services into community settings.
“Opening this new facility in the town centre is a significant step forward for patients in Harlow,” said Thom Lafferty, Chief Executive of PAHT.