NHS Property Services (NHSPS) has been appointed to deliver 11 schemes in Wave 1 of the government’s Neighbourhood Health Centre (NHC) programme.
Backed by £50m, the first phase will focus on upgrading existing healthcare facilities to improve access, modernise estates and support more integrated models of care.
The wider programme aims to deliver up to 250 neighbourhood health centres by 2035, with around 120 expected to be operational by 2030.
A spokesperson from NHSPS told Building Better Healthcare that the organisation is already mobilising delivery teams across the programme.
“We supported the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), who then selected the first wave of 27 sites, 11 of which are NHSPS properties.”
“They were prioritised based on their readiness for delivery, the ability to meaningfully improve patient access, and their location in areas with high levels of health need,” said the spokesperson from NHSPS.
NHSPS is leading delivery across the 11 sites, coordinating feasibility, design and delivery planning with Integrated Care Boards (ICBs), with schemes selected for their ability to move quickly into construction and deliver early impact.
They added that the programme aligns with NHSPS’s existing Healthy Places model, which has delivered more than 500 estate transformation projects since 2020.
Wave-based rollout
Wave 1 forms part of a phased delivery approach, with schemes selected based on deliverability, estate condition and health inequalities.
There are no published details yet for Wave 2 or later phases of the Neighbourhood Health Centre programme, with Wave 1 comprising 27 early schemes selected for their readiness to enter construction and deliver rapid refurbishment, targeting improved access in areas of high health need.
Future waves are expected to be defined as the programme scales towards up to 250 centres by 2035.
NHSPS said it worked with the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) to support site selection, with priority given to schemes that could be delivered quickly and improve access in deprived communities.
Sites were assessed against criteria including “readiness for delivery”, alignment with neighbourhood health principles, and impact on areas of high deprivation, the organisation said.
Proposals not aligned with wider integrated care system estate strategies or considered too small in scale were not taken forward.
Delivery and next steps
The 11 NHSPS schemes are due for completion by March 2027, with feasibility, design and procurement work now underway.
“We are now working with ICBs to develop the detailed project scope to progress the design and procurement,” said the spokesperson from NHSPS, adding that the aim is to support co-location of services and improve access from 2027.
NHSPS said it will deliver the programme using its established procurement model, aligned with the new Procurement Act, and focused on transparency, efficiency and value.
It added that works will be carefully phased to minimise disruption in live healthcare environments.
Wave 1 NHSPS sites
- Liverpool Road Health Centre – Midlands
- Fingerpost Health Centre – North
- Fleetwood Health and Wellbeing Centre – North
- Montpelier Health Centre – South
- Charlotte Keel Health Centre – South
- Erith Health Centre – London
- Hinckley Health Centre – Midlands
- Shefford Health Centre – Midlands
- Downham Health & Leisure Centre – London
- Stony Stratford Health Centre – Midlands
- Goldsworth Park Health Centre – South
Other delivery partners, including Community Health Partnerships, are expected to support additional Wave 1 schemes.
NHS England specification
The programme is underpinned by NHS England’s Neighbourhood Health Centre design and performance specification, which sets out a flexible model for community-based care.
The document describes neighbourhood health centres as integrated hubs designed to bring together services such as general practice, community health, mental health support and rehabilitation under one roof, with flexibility to reflect local population needs.
It also allows for diagnostic services to be included in some locations, depending on local configuration, although Community Diagnostic Centres sit within a separate national programme.
“We understand that the Department of Health and Social Care is moving at pace to deliver the Neighbourhood Health Agenda, building on commitments made at the Autumn Budget,” said the NHSPS spokesperson.
“We will work with our NHS colleagues across the relevant Trust and ICB footprints, to ensure services experience minimal disruption and patients are able to continue to access care.”
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