Understanding the critical role of premises in NHS Neighbourhood teams

Neighbourhood teams aim to bring together professionals from health, social care, and voluntary sectors to serve local populations more holistically and the NHS’s 10-Year Health Plan places physical infrastructure, the premises, at the heart of transforming primary care, especially with the rollout of Neighbourhood Health Centres (NHCs). These premises are not just buildings, they’re envisioned as hubs for integrated, accessible, and preventative care. For this integration to work, premises must:

• Facilitate co-location of multidisciplinary teams, enabling real-time collaboration and shared decision-making
• Provide accessible, welcoming spaces for residents to engage with services, reducing barriers to care
• Support flexible service delivery, including diagnostics, outpatient care, and community outreach
• Enable data sharing and digital integration, with interoperable IT systems and secure infrastructure

NHCs are described as “one-stop shops” for care, operating 12 hours a day, six days a week. These centres will house services from GPs, dentists, social care, and voluntary organisations and be developed through a mix of refurbishments, expansions, and new builds

To maximise value, the NHS will need to repurpose underused estate where possible. Systems will quickly need to assess the current portfolio of estate in light of these plans.

Areas for consideration include:

• Are there enough consultation rooms, meeting spaces, and shared work areas?
• Is there space for confidential conversations and team collaboration?
• Is there reliable internet and IT support for shared systems?
• Can the space adapt to changing team sizes or functions?
• Is there scope for co-location with other services (e.g. voluntary sector)?

The success of neighbourhood teams hinges on more than bricks and mortar—it requires strategic estate planning, cross-sector collaboration, and community involvement. As pilot sites roll out and funding models evolve, the NHS must ensure that premises are not just functional, but transformational.

For further information on how PCC can support with this assessment contact enquiries@pcc-cic.org.uk. Read about how PCC has supported PCNs with space constraints.

Case study

A Primary Care Network (PCN) in the North East faced a significant challenge: limited space was hindering their ability to fully utilise staff recruited through the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme (ARRS). Recognising the importance of integrated neighbourhood working, the PCN approached PCC for support in identifying practical solutions.

Adopting a ‘one public estate’ approach, we began by reviewing how the PCN was currently using its own premises. We then broadened the scope, engaging with key stakeholders including the local district council, Community Health Partnerships (CHP), NHS Property Services, and local voluntary organisations. This collaborative effort aimed not only to resolve the immediate space constraints but also to explore opportunities for co-location and integrated service delivery.

Our findings were compiled into a comprehensive report, which included:

• Costed premises options for short- and long-term use
• Recommendations for alternative operating models

This approach enabled the PCN to make informed decisions about estate optimisation while laying the groundwork for a more integrated, community-focused model of care.