The NHS Confederation has published a new report providing detailed guidance to help systems deliver the government’s ambition of 250 neighbourhood health centres, including over 100 by 2030.
The report focuses on practical estate solutions, partnership-led funding models, and the reuse of existing NHS buildings to speed up delivery.
The main key findings and recommendations from the report include:
Strategic use of existing estate
The report emphasises that optimising existing NHS buildings should be the first step.
Underused spaces, vacant floors, and older community health facilities can be repurposed for NHCs, reducing costs and shortening delivery times.
System leaders are encouraged to map estate assets across their ICS footprints to identify quick-win opportunities.
Flexible and multi-use facilities
NHCs are envisioned as multi-disciplinary hubs, bringing together primary care, community services, mental health, social care, and voluntary sector provision under one roof.
The report recommends flexible room layouts and digital systems that support shared usage and real-time booking.
Partnership and funding models
To tackle capital constraints, the report proposes innovative funding approaches, including new public–private partnerships (PPPs) and risk-sharing models.
These are designed to avoid the pitfalls of earlier PFI deals, creating more flexible, sustainable arrangements for long-term NHC operation.
Streamlined governance and commissioning
Devolving estate planning authority to integrated care boards (ICBs) is a key recommendation, allowing faster decision-making.
The report also calls for aligned budgeting between commissioners and providers, and for local practices to co-locate without bureaucratic barriers.
Tackling underused spaces and voids
The Confederation identifies empty and underutilised buildings as both a financial burden and an opportunity.
By strategically releasing or repurposing void space, systems can create NHCs more efficiently, while retaining sale proceeds for reinvestment in local services.
Digital integration
A strong emphasis is placed on interoperable IT systems to support care coordination, booking, and telehealth delivery, ensuring that NHCs are as digitally-enabled as they are physically accessible.
Context within broader NHS reform
The report comes after the autumn Budget included funding for 250 neighbourhood health centres and £300m into new technologies to improve patient services.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves said during the release of the budget that over 100 of the neighbourhood health centres will be delivered by 2030 in Birmingham, Truro, and Southall.
The report also asserts the need to draw lessons from past PFIs models, with experts saying that any new arrangements need to be flexible and risk-aware for future NHS estate development.
The Confederation’s guidance gives NHS estates and capital teams clear, practical steps to turn policy ambitions into deliverable neighbourhood health centres across England.