INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT
confidence and interest. However, if a solid pipeline is put in place, investors and other industry partners will move quickly when they see clear opportunities. The NHS LIFT programme offers a useful example where a clear and sustained pipeline of projects helped to attract a range of investors and supply chain partners to deliver 350 NHS community health buildings over 25 years. Likewise, the ‘batching’ of projects – where investors could deliver a number of health buildings across a single city or region – was also a key factor in LIFT’s success. Batching allowed investors, contractors, FM, and MSA providers to put in place dedicated resources, and also brought benefits in terms of economies of scale and improvements to the design, construction, FM, equity, and lifecycle elements of the projects. We should hear more on the government’s neighbourhood health centre plans soon, and the early signs are that a ‘batching’ approach is being considered, so it is encouraging that things seem to be moving along the right track.
2. The need for a strong public sector partner As a new PPP model for health delivery is unveiled this year, private sector organisations will also be looking for the reassurance that there is a strong, credible public sector partner involved – ideally with an equity stake.
An enduring strength of the NHS LIFT
programme has been that the NHS (through Community Health Partnerships) has offered a credible, consistent public sector partner across all of the 350 health centres delivered since 2001. Crucially, the NHS has also maintained a 40 per cent equity stake in all NHS LIFT buildings (with the private sector taking a 60 per cent stake) meaning that, over the last 25 years, the public and private partners have been able to shoulder the challenges and share the successes together. Likewise, with the Mutual Investment Model (MIM) in Wales – where the public and private sectors have worked in partnership to deliver new roads, schools and health infrastructure – a key reason for MIM’s success is because key projects have embedded the Welsh Government (with a 20 per cent equity stake) as a strong counterparty to private investors. A strong public sector partner is also
the best way to draw a distinction with some of the baggage of PFI projects of the past, which were often criticised for decision-making and financial outcomes being stacked too firmly in favour of the private sector. PPP models have moved on considerably since then, and having a strong public sector partner with an equity stake will ensure full transparency, joint decision-making, and shared returns for the public sector.
3. The need to prioritise quality Through issues like the NHS’ huge maintenance backlog – and wider infrastructure issues like RAAC concrete – the condition of the NHS estate continues to be in the headlines for all the wrong
August 2026 Health Estate Journal 53
reasons. This simply underlines the need to place a greater premium on ‘quality’ as we look at delivering new Neighbourhood Health Centres. Again, this is something that existing PPP models have
Washwood Heath Health Centre, Birmingham.
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