Government announces first 27 neighbourhood health centres

The Government has announced the first 27 sites for the new ‘neighbourhood health centres’, aimed to bring together general practice under one roof with other services.

The Department of Health and Social Care said it would back the first centres with investment of ‘up to £50m’.

These are the first of 250 centres that were pledged in the 10-Year Health Plan, as part of the Government’s stated aim to move NHS care out of hospital and into the community.

Meanwhile, writing today to the BMA’s GP Committee, health secretary Wes Streeting said the Government is planning  to ‘consult publicly’ on ‘how multi-neighbourhood providers (MNP), single neighbourhood providers (SNPs), General Medical Services (GMS) and the Primary Care Network Directed Enhanced Service (PCN DES) will work together, including how primary care networks might evolve into SNPs’.

Today’s DHSC announcement said the first 27 neighbourhood health centres will open by 2027 and immediately offer urgent treatment, GP and pharmacy services. ‘In time’, it added they will also include ‘debt advice, employment and family support and other voluntary sector support’ and open ’12 hours a day, six days a week’.

The first tranche is targeted at areas with higher levels of deprivation in seven regions of England: East of England; London; Midlands; North East and Yorkshire; North West; South East; and South West.

The Government has pledged a 2035 deadline for the 250 centres, with 120 to open by 2030, with the aim to reduce use of hospitals and ‘end the frustration’ of patients being ‘passed around the system’.

Health minister Stephen Kinnock said: ‘This government is transforming healthcare, so the NHS works around the lives of patients – not vice versa.

‘We’re rolling out neighbourhood health centres across the country by repurposing and improving local buildings, first targeting the communities that need them most. These one-stop-shops will help end the maze of referrals and repeated conversations, treating not just poor health but the causes of it too.

‘As we rebuild our NHS, our mission is to shift more healthcare into the community, while delivering easier access to care, improved outcomes for patients and better value for money for the taxpayer.”

NHS England medical director Dr Claire Fuller said: ‘Neighbourhood health centres will make it easier for people, particularly working-class communities, to access more joined up care closer to home.

‘By bringing GP services together with a wider range of tailored support, we can help people to get the right care more quickly, close to home, while avoiding unnecessary trips to hospital.’

New neighbourhood contract models will be developed in the next financial year, NHSE said last week, as GP leaders raised concerns around the lack of extra funding associated with the model.

2026/27 will be ‘a developmental year’ for the new contractual models announced as part of the 10-year plan – despite the contracts initially being expected at the end of last year.

Also last week, the Government confirmed that NHS trusts will have commissioning responsibilities for primary care, through new integrated neighbourhood organisation (IHOs) contracts.

Pulse has analysed what the Government neighbourhood health framework means for GP practices.

Pulse’s publisher Cogora is launching a new conference focused on neighbourhood health, taking place at the National Conference Centre, Birmingham on 21-22 June. GPs, practice managers, community pharmacists, nurses, PCN and ICB leaders are invited to the CPD-accredited event. Find out more about the agenda and register for free here.