NHS Confederation responds to the Chancellor confirming investment for 250 neighbourhood health centres

Responding to the Chancellor confirming investment for 250 neighbourhood health centres to bring patient care closer to home, Ruth Rankine, director of primary care the NHS Confederation said: 

"The creation of a neighbourhood health service has the potential to empower the NHS to deliver even more patient-first, joined-up care. 

“Working in partnership with local authorities, the VCSE sector and other partners is key to maximising the impact of these services, so it is welcome that the government is committed to ensuring local leaders have the flexibility to shape them to meet the specific needs of their communities. Bringing teams together under one roof can significantly improve services for the public and patients and provide more cohesive relationships between health and care professionals.

"Innovative use of existing estate across the whole of the NHS as well as local authorities, with the potential for new private sector investment, will support the delivery of neighbourhood services and ensure patients can access them more easily closer to home. We have been working with our members to understand what this would look like in practice, and they will appreciate the clarity provided in this announcement. The economic context means robust public-private partnerships are necessary in delivering this much-needed NHS reform.”