HEALTH SECTOR NEWS
New community healthcare delivery white paper published
Building and property company Wates Group and NHS England have published a joint white paper on neighbourhood health centre delivery. The white paper sets out how
the government’s planned 250 neighbourhood health centres can be delivered at pace across England. Partnerships for progress: delivering a new generation of neighbourhood healthcare infrastructure identifies the practical conditions needed to deliver the landmark initiative – part of the NHS 10 Year Health Plan to boost access to healthcare, cut waiting lists, and tackle inequalities. As the health service seeks to
provide more care closer to people’s homes, the white paper argues that 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.
Wates and NHS England are also calling for a visible, prioritised pipeline of projects, with centres grouped geographically to streamline procurement and support more consistent delivery, plus a commitment to embed social value and patient outcomes throughout project design and delivery. The paper calls for contractors to be involved at an early stage to optimise design and delivery and to use repeatable design principles to minimise cost, while retaining the flexibility to meet local needs. Wates Group CEO Eoghan
O’Lionaird said: “The ambition behind neighbourhood health centres is compelling – bringing more services closer to where people live. The challenge now is delivery. 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,
Construction completed on new ward at Aintree Hospital
Tilbury Douglas has completed construction of the new Ward 6 Ventilation Inpatient Centre at Aintree Hospital. The project for NHS University Hospitals of Liverpool Group comprised a complex Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) roof replacement scheme and refurbishment carried out Aintree Hospital’s main entrance and ambulance drop-off bays. Kabir Salihi, regional director
– North West at Tilbury Douglas, said: “Successfully delivering another project at the Aintree Hospital site reflects the strength
of our long-standing relationships with NHS partners across the North West. Following the recent completion of improvements to the kitchen and plant room, and the refurbishment of five specialist neurosurgical theatres at The Walton Centre, we are proud to have completed this complex RAAC roof replacement and ward refurbishment. The upgraded Ward 6 provides modern, resilient infrastructure that will support the hospital for years to come, while delivering a high-quality environment for patients requiring intensive care and ventilation treatment.”
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 at NHS Estates at NHS England, commented: “The ambition to develop a new generation of neighbourhood health centres represents one of the most significant opportunities to transform the NHS estate and improve community healthcare in a generation. Delivering this vision will require strong partnerships across the public and private sectors, bringing together investment, expertise, and innovation to support better outcomes for patients.
“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.”
Imperial College Healthcare to invest £600m in estate
Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust has announced a five-year, £600m investment programme aimed at the long-term redevelopment and refurbishment of its hospitals. Funded through a combination of national, Trust, and charitable funding, the programme includes: n £80m for priority maintenance across our facilities;
n £128m for new equipment and technology, including an advanced surgical robot;
n £215m for four major improvement schemes – one at each of our sites; and
n £20m to purchase a building next to the St Mary’s campus to accommodate a range of activities, including virtual care services and administration functions.
Chief executive Professor Julian Redhead said: “These investments will make a real difference to our staff, patients, and local
communities. With insufficient and unsuitable space and constant structural problems, leaks, and outages, there is a growing disconnect between our facilities and the high quality, research-led care we offer in them. “Working with local and national partners and funders, including Imperial Health Charity, we have created this strategic investment programme to deliver the maximum impact and value we can for now, while doing all we can to accelerate the full redevelopment and refurbishment that is the only sustainable solution.”
November 2026 Health Estate Journal 21
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