Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the difference is between the proposed Public-Private Partnership model for Neighbourhood Health Centres and the Private Finance Initiative.

Public Private Partnership (PPP) is the umbrella term for various public-private partnerships. Private Finance Initiative is a specific, strict form of PPP.

We are developing a new PPP model for neighbourhood health centres (NHCs) which is being led by the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority (NISTA), and supported by the Department. NISTA and the Department will continue to work with the market to further develop the new PPP model for NHCs with further engagement later this year. The new model will build on lessons from the past, including the National Audit Office’s 2025 report on private finance and other models currently in use. To ensure they are managed transparently and are fiscally sustainable, any NHC PPP projects will be budgeted for as if they are on balance sheet.

We are not bringing back PFI for the new PPP model for NHCs.