A concise guide showing how ICBs and NHS England regions should plan, fund and design neighbourhood health centres to improve access and integration
The NHS guidance sets out a practical route for developing neighbourhood health centres (NHCs) across England. It combines policy intent with operational steps that Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) and NHS England regions should follow when identifying and preparing schemes. The objective is to make community-based care easier to access, support more proactive and preventative services, and reduce pressure on hospitals through better local integration.
At its core, the guidance aligns with the 10 Year Health Plan and the NHS medium-term planning expectations. It asks systems to connect clinical ambitions, service redesign and estate decisions, producing a coherent pipeline of NHC proposals that deliver value while reusing and improving existing assets where appropriate.
The guidance sits alongside a separate NHC design specification that explains spatial and operational details.
Why neighbourhood health centres matter
The guidance frames NHCs as a physical and operational enabler of the neighbourhood health model, bringing together general practice, community services, social care and voluntary sector partners.
By co‑locating teams and offering coordinated services, NHCs aim to provide patients with a single, local point of access for most needs. This model emphasises prevention, continuity of care and multidisciplinary working, shifting activity out of acute settings when clinically appropriate.
Planning estates and choosing the right model
ICBs are instructed to shape estate proposals around their neighbourhood ambitions and service changes for 2026/27 and beyond. Plans should demonstrate a clear line from clinical strategy to the proposed estate solution, showing how a centre will improve integration, access and the local range of services. The guidance expects NHCs to be part of an asset-based neighbourhood network, connected to public spaces and community activity rather than functioning as isolated clinics.
Four archetypes to consider
NHS England describes four practical archetypes systems can use, adapting them according to local needs and existing assets. The first is a hub-and-spoke approach that upgrades or repurposes current NHS buildings and adds satellite sites where needed. The second involves using existing public and civic spaces—such as high street premises, libraries or leisure centres—to host services close to people’s homes. The third focuses on cohort-specific hubs, integrating services for particular groups (for example, family hubs or mental health centres) within the neighbourhood offer. The fourth is purpose-built NHCs designed to accommodate multidisciplinary teams where current estate cannot be adapted.
Design, digital infrastructure and designation criteria
The separate NHC design specification provides the spatial and operational standards that schemes should follow. All centres must be digitally
