Supporting the development of neighbourhood health centres
A new strategic partnership will support system leaders to utilise and repurpose their existing estates for neighbourhood health.
The NHS Confederation and Community Health Partnerships (CHP) have announced a new programme of work designed to help accelerate the development of neighbourhood health centres across England in line with the 10-Year Health Plan, through better use of community infrastructure.
Community Health Partnerships is a DHSC-owned company, whose purpose is to transform health and care services by improving the community-based estate through LIFT (Local Improvement Finance Trust) Public Private Partnerships.
Together, we will convene NHS Confederation members to explore successful examples of neighbourhood health centres already operating in communities. The programme will also address the commissioning and contracting barriers that often prevent co-location and shared use of space, and develop practical recommendations for strategic commissioners, NHS trusts, primary care, local government, and the voluntary sector.
A policy report based on member engagement is expected in the coming months.
Matthew Taylor, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, said: “There is a real challenge around primary and community estates in this country that we must solve if the government’s ambitions to co-locate both NHS and other local services in Neighbourhood Health Centres is to become a reality.
“Through our partnership with CHP we will work with members to confront the challenges and find new ways of working to deliver the changes needed to enable better use of community infrastructure to deliver care closer to home.”
Wendy Farrington-Chadd, chief executive of Community Health Partnerships, said: “The concept of neighbourhood health centres speaks to the purpose of LIFT and we are enabling the transformation of healthcare services through better use of existing assets. This will drive productivity and value for the NHS.
“Our partnership with the NHS Confederation will enable us to share key insight and real examples from our work to support the delivery of neighbourhood care at pace.”
