Inquiry into improving the NHS's 'ageing premises' launched

Following the announcement of 250 ‘one stop shop’ neighbourhood health centres, an inquiry has been launched into transforming the NHS’s local estates.

The Health and Social Care Committee’s new inquiry, launched today (12 December), will investigate what the government needs to do to make the NHS estate ‘fit for the future’ and enable it to deliver the neighbourhood health service.

Currently, 11% of the NHS estate is older than the NHS itself and many providers report that ageing premises are unsuitable to deliver community health services, according to the committee website.

Chair of the committee, Layla Moran MP, said: ‘A key pillar of the Government’s plan for the NHS is to relocate more front-line services back into local communities, making them more accessible and convenient for everyone and taking pressure off hospitals.

‘In this inquiry we’re going to dig into one of the essential questions the Government must answer to make this vision a reality – where will those services physically go? ‘

We will take stock of the state of the NHS’s local buildings. What is the scale of disrepair and demand for refurbishment? How many spare public buildings are there for services to relocate to and could they be better utilised, and how many new builds are needed?

She said the inquiry will consider how the different workforces of the NHS, as well as local communities, can be consulted in the process. It will also examine how the Government will find the investment needed.

Written evidence submissions should be made via the committee’s website by 13 February 2026, and respond to the following questions:

• What is needed from the NHS estate to allow it to deliver the Neighbourhood Health Service?
• What criteria should be used to prioritise the investment in the estate to enable it to deliver the Neighbourhood Health Service?
• What lessons can be taken from pilots of Neighbourhood Health Centres for the development of an NHS estate that supports the delivery of the Neighbourhood Health Service?
• How could non-NHS settings or infrastructure be used to support the delivery of care in neighbourhood settings, and what arrangements would be needed to facilitate it?
• How can local communities and the workforce best be involved in the planning and design of estate transformation for the Neighbourhood Health Service?

At the recent Autumn Budget announcement, chancellor Rachel Reeves committed to investing in 250 new neighbourhood health centres, 100 of which will be opened by 2030. This change – which was announced on 25 November ahead of the Budget – will see ‘more services [expanded] into communities so that people can receive treatment outside of hospitals and get better, faster care where they live’.

Pharmacists will staff the government’s new neighbourhood health centres alongside nurses, doctors, social care workers and others.