Questions to ask before signing a clinic lease
The wrong site is the most expensive mistake in independent healthcare. Six questions that should come before the rent negotiation.
Site decisions in independent healthcare are often made on instinct, a rent quote and what someone already knows about the town. The lease then shapes the business for ten years. These six questions are worth answering first.
Who lives within a realistic drive?
Use drivetime, not distance. A clinic two miles away across a river or a ring road can be further in practice than one five miles along a dual carriageway. Look at 10, 20 and 30 minutes.
What do they need?
Age profile, long-term conditions, activity levels and car dependency all change demand for different services. Compare the catchment with similar ones, not just the national average.
Who is already there?
Map every provider, NHS and independent. Note their services and how long their waits are. Long NHS waits nearby can signal self-pay demand.
Can you staff it?
The clinicians you need must live within reach. Workforce is the question most site decisions forget.
Where is demand heading?
A rising trend in a modest market can beat a large but flat one.
What do you not know?
Every dataset has gaps. Ask what is missing, and treat confident numbers with no stated source with caution.
DataLense answers these questions for any UK postcode. You can see a sample catchment report on our DataLense page.
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