Confirmation from the Chancellor of the Exchequer that Public-Private Partnerships will be utilised to fund NHS infrastructure has been broadly welcomed by sector leaders.
In yesterday’s budget, (November 26), Rachel Reeves confirmed investment in 250 further new Neighbourhood Health Centres and £300m in technology to improve patient services. Over 100 of the new centres will be operational by 2030.
The Neighbourhood Health Centres will be delivered through a combination of Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) and public investment. This approach aims to bring together infrastructure expertise from different sectors to deliver new facilities. The Government is also promising “innovative use of existing estate,” alongside new-builds, which, through its new programme, NHS Neighbourhood Rebuild aims to “give the NHS the tools and opportunity it is asking for.”
Daniel Elkeles, Chief Executive of NHS Providers, says: "The Chancellor has opened a welcome new pathway for NHS capital investment which we’ve long called for. Investing in more new neighbourhood health centres will help the NHS to shift care from hospitals closer to where people live.”
The Government says its new PPP model will learn from the lessons of previous such partnerships, including the Private Finance Initiative (PFI) and will only supplement public investment with private where it provides value for money to the taxpayer. NHS Confederation says its strategic policy team will now focus on what the Neighbourhood Health Centre PPP model should look like, and how its members want this implementing.
