Wates unveils blueprint to get regional NHS centres built more quickly

Wates has said 250 new neighbourhood health centres being planned across England should be bundled up into packages to get them built more quickly.

The firm has teamed up with NHS England to draw up a report into the initiative which is design to provide care closer to home and reduce pressure on hospitals.

It says: “Attention must now turn to establishing a credible national model for delivery.

“One key recommendation is to establish principles for a new public-private partnership model that can unlock investment while learning from previous approaches.”

It said centres should be batched up into regional packages of £100m and above to “streamline procurement and support more consistent delivery”.

And it says contractors should be involved at an early stage to optimise design and delivery and to use repeatable design principles to minimise cost.

Wates chief executive Eoghan O’Lionaird said: “The NHS has set out a clear vision and the question is how we create the practical conditions that will enable centres to be delivered at the pace and scale required.

“That means providing greater certainty over the pipeline ahead, creating the confidence for industry to invest in skills and capacity, and establishing delivery models that encourage long-term collaboration.”

Simon Corben, director and head of profession, NHS Estates at NHS England, said: “This white paper reflects the constructive discussions held between NHS colleagues, industry partners and wider stakeholders on how we can move from vision to delivery. By working together, we can help create modern, sustainable healthcare facilities that support prevention, improve access to care and meet the changing needs of local communities.”

Under its plans, the government wants to open 250 neighbourhood health centres by 2035, with the first 120 open by 2030.