John Lewis to open health clinics in stores next month

Department store John Lewis is launching health clinics within its shops in the latest move to expand its offering in the face of tough retail trading conditions (Sean Dempsey/PA) (PA Wire)

Department store chain John Lewis is launching health clinics within its shops in the latest move to expand its offering in the face of tough retail trading conditions.

The group has teamed up with diagnostics firm Randox Health to set up the clinics, providing full-body health checks to identify early signs of health issues.

Customers will be able to get tested for vitamin deficiencies, hormone imbalances and key health concerns, among other services.

The first Randox clinic will open in its High Wycombe store, with customers able to make bookings now for appointments from December 18.

As trusted stores for local communities across the country, we can play an important role by making services like healthcare and wellness more convenient and accessible

Naomi Simcock, John Lewis executive director

This will be followed by further openings at John Lewis stores in Bluewater in December and Cheltenham in January, with the aim of potentially more further down the line across its 34-strong estate.

The move sees it add to existing in-store services such as opticians, wellness and beauty clinics.

It comes as the group looks to boost shoppers coming into its department stores, which have suffered flagging sales in recent years.

In September, the wider John Lewis Partnership (JLP), which also runs the Waitrose supermarket business, reported losses of £59 million for the six months to July 29 and cautioned its transformation would take two years longer than planned amid cost pressures.

Sales across its department stores fell 2% to £2.1 billion in its first half.

The group is looking to ventures, such as the launch of health clinics, to further boost the number of shoppers visiting its stores, which it said at the time of its half-year results was up 8%.

Naomi Simcock, executive director of John Lewis, said: “As trusted stores for local communities across the country, we can play an important role by making services like healthcare and wellness more convenient and accessible.

“In Randox we have an experienced and innovative partner to extend our range of in-store services, to help customers proactively manage their health and wellbeing.”

Customers will be able to sign up to Randox health programmes, starting at £295 for the everyman and everywoman plans.

The clinics, which run appointments with Randox healthcare professionals, will have staffed waiting areas and private consultation rooms.

Randox was set up in 1982 and makes around four billion tests each year, with operations in 145 countries.

It launched its direct-to-consumer brand, Randox Health, in 2008 and now has more than 20 clinics across the UK.

Details of the launch come after JLP announced last month that boss Dame Sharon White will step down when her current five-year term ends in February 2025.

The former Ofcom chief joined the employee-owned business at the start of 2020 and has since led a major overhaul which has included a raft of store closures and a shift in new business areas such as rental accommodation.