Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the availability of space in (a) surgeries and (b) community buildings on the implementation of the NHS 10 Year Plan.

Over the course of the 10-Year Health Plan, the Government has committed to deliver a Neighbourhood Health Centre (NHC) in every community. The Department of Health and Social Care is currently determining how best to trial NHCs, including identifying potential site locations.

Wherever possible, we will maximise value for money by repurposing poorly used, existing NHS and public sector estate. To support this, we have requested initial information from systems on local assets they already have.

As strategic commissioners, integrated care boards will be key in identifying where NHCs are required, where more efficient and effective use could be made of existing assets, and defining their requirements for an NHC in the context of other supporting infrastructure in the local area.

The £102 million Primary Care Utilisation & Modernisation Fund will upgrade more than a thousand GP surgeries across England. Improving use of existing buildings and spaces will enable improved productivity and projects will focus on works that unlock additional clinical space and make better use of existing buildings. They will include much-needed conversion, refurbishment and reconfiguration schemes.