Government has published its formal response to Sir Robert Naylor’s review of NHS land and estate – including his recommendation for £10bn of investment.
Health Minister Lord O’Shaughnessy highlighted the challenges for outdated GP surgery buildings, hospitals and community health sites which were laid out in Sir Robert’s report last year. He said: "Old and outdated buildings are inefficient and costly; they sap morale, impede recovery and reduce wellbeing...It is critical that we invest in the NHS estate and find creative ways to modernise."
Government has accepted Sir Robert’s calls for a new NHS property board and will establish a national strategic estates planning service to help sustainability and transformation partnerships deliver the healthcare buildings they need for the NHS of the future, as well as supporting better guidance for primary care buildings.
The response also flags the role of private sector funding in reaching the minimum of £10bn of capital needed. Lord O’Shaughnessy added: “We expect <government funding> to be supplemented by private investment, where this provides good value for money. It is likely some of this will come from the types of schemes that already fund primary care facilities.”
Our CEO, Jonathan Murphy, says: “The Naylor Review made clear that private investment is a crucial part of securing a primary care estate which is fit for the future. It is welcome to see the Government accepting this view. Particularly when hospitals are stretched, it is vital that GP surgery buildings and primary care centres can deliver a system that gives patients easier access to appointments and that services, test and treatments can be provided in the community, easing the burdens on hospitals.
“Third party development is helping many practices around the country to deliver the primary care estate they need for the NHS of tomorrow, but there is still a long way to go. It will take significant funding, expertise and experience to support GPs with the premises on which transformation can be built.”
Read more from Jonathan on Sir Robert’s analysis.
Read why we teamed up with our sector colleagues to set out the potential for investment in primary care buildings through third party development.