NHS Property Services has launched a new handbook designed to support NHS leaders across the system to plan, deliver and sustain Neighbourhood Health Centres (NHCs).
‘Your guide to developing a Neighbourhood Health Centre’ provides clear, step‑by‑step estates support for NHS organisations navigating what can be a complex and evolving development process.
The handbook is aimed ay NHS estate teams, Integrated Care Systems, commissioners and local health leaders, and sets out a structured, evidence‑based approach to developing NHCs, whether a team needs end‑to‑end support or specialist help at specific points along the journey.
It is built around four core stages of NHC development. The first is Assess – identifying the most suitable locations using population need, estate performance, planning and financial data. This is followed by Plan – shaping compliant, affordable and fundable proposals that can secure local and national approval. The third stage is Deliver – managing refurbishment, reconfiguration or construction to ensure safe, high‑quality outcomes. The final stage is Learn and maintain – supporting long‑term performance through compliance, facilities management and continuous improvement.
The launch builds on NHS Property Services’ recent work to support the national NHC programme, including the publication of Making Neighbourhood Health Centres a Reality in December 2025, and its appointment in March 2026 to help deliver 11 Neighbourhood Health Centres as part of the Government’s £50m Health Estates Transformation Programme.
Simon Taylor, Director Estates Policy, Strategy & Capital Projects for NHS Property Services, said: “Neighbourhood health will redesign and join up existing health and care services, but the challenges behind them will feel very familiar to NHS teams. This guide is designed to cut through complexity, providing clear, practical estates support grounded in real‑world delivery experience, so systems can make confident decisions and create facilities that work from day one and continue to deliver value for years to come.”
