News Article

Nuffield Health has relinquished its lease on two buildings at St Bartholomew’s Hospital in London only three years after opening the £70 million private facility in May 2022.

The space, comprising three theatres, in-patient beds and consulting rooms, will revert to Barts Health NHS Trust to create a £16.6 million breast-cancer “centre of excellence”, funded by Barts Charity, from 2026. 

The arrangement is described as a “sell-back of the lease”; no price was disclosed, but Barts Health will assume control of fully-fitted assets, limiting transition risk for NHS operations. Nuffield retains ownership of specialist equipment it can relocate within its network, mitigating write-offs. 

The exit should improve forward EBITDA margins, lowering lease liabilities. By disposing of the lease, Nuffield can redirect capital towards higher-return projects (such as its £200 million GE HealthCare imaging partnership) and accelerate digital upgrades across its 37-hospital estate.