A New Era for Community Health: Why Neighbourhood Health Centres Matter

After years of underinvestment in primary and community care, the November Budget delivered a genuinely encouraging commitment: 250 Neighbourhood Health Centres, with 120 operational by 2030. This represents a fundamental shift in how we deliver healthcare, bringing services into the heart of communities where they can make the greatest difference.

The government's commitment to harness Public-Private Partnerships through the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority (NISTA) signals something important: they recognise that delivering this scale and pace of change requires private sector expertise and finance. With Health & Social Care Capital DEL rising from £13.6bn to £15.2bn over this Parliament, the investment trajectory supports genuine transformation.

Building on What Works

NISTA's PPP model is being developed by explicitly learning from past successes, including NHS LIFT. This matters to us because we delivered 15 community health centres through the NHS LIFT programme. We understand the complexities of partnership-based healthcare delivery: the governance structures, the clinical engagement, the importance of flexibility within standardised design. These aren't theoretical lessons for us; they're embedded in buildings that have been serving communities for years.

The first phase of 120 centres will be split between 70 new builds and 50 repurposed facilities, with 80% of new builds delivered via PPP. This mixed approach makes sense, it uses existing assets where appropriate while creating purpose-designed facilities where they're most needed.

More Than Buildings

Neighbourhood Health Centres have the potential to fundamentally reshape how people experience healthcare. By bringing services closer to home, they increase accessibility for those who struggle to reach distant hospital sites. By integrating mental health services alongside physical health, they help destigmatize accessing mental health. By enabling preventative care, they reduce pressure on acute services.

But potential and reality aren't the same thing. These centres will only succeed if they become genuine community hubs rather than isolated assets. That requires thoughtful integration with local services, effective staffing models, and design that genuinely responds to community needs. The Budget's parallel investment in 1,000 Best Start Family Hubs creates opportunities for co-location and shared resources, combining health, early years support, and community services in ways that amplify impact.

Our Readiness

At Willmott Dixon, we've delivered over 30 community health centres. Our Cura pre-designed platform offers repeatable, adaptable solutions aligned with neighbourhood health principles—providing speed and certainty when 120 centres must be operational by 2030. Our Development Solutions team brings funding expertise directly relevant to the new PPP model.

But beyond technical capability, we're passionate about creating places that improve lives. Our approach to social value, creating local jobs, boosting skills, supporting wellbeing, aligns directly with the purpose of these centres. We understand that successful health facilities aren't just clinically effective; they strengthen communities.

The Broader Picture

This programme sits within the 10 Year Health Plan's emphasis on earlier intervention and preventative care. It's part of a wider transformation: the Budget commits £300m for NHS technology investment and funding for 1,000 NHS estate repair projects this year. The government is even considering PPPs to decarbonise the public sector estate, potentially extending partnership models beyond new builds to retrofit and upgrade programmes.

The successful Hull and Barnsley NHC models cited in the Budget demonstrate what's achievable. In Barnsley we are working with the council on repurposing an existing building on the high street for health and wellbeing services to provide true healthcare in the community.

As Integrated Care Boards look for delivery partners who can combine design capability, funding expertise, platform efficiency and community impact, we stand ready to help the NHS realise the full potential of Neighbourhood Health Centres: accessible, preventative, community-centred spaces where people can live well and stay well.

This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reshape primary care. With the right partnerships, we can deliver not just 250 buildings, but 250 catalysts for healthier communities.