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The government has announced that the first 27 neighbourhood health centres will open by 2027 in areas of England most affected by deprivation.
A statement — published jointly by the Department of Health and Social Care, NHS England and health minister Stephen Kinnock on 26 March 2026 — said that up to £50m has been pledged to support the rollout, which will be the first of 50 neighbourhood health centres “backed by a total of £200m in government investment to upgrade existing buildings”.
“Once completed, patients will immediately be able to access a greater range of health services from these centres — all under one roof and closer to their homes — including urgent treatment, GP and pharmacy services,” the statement added.
It said the first 27 centres will open in areas with higher levels of deprivation in the east of England, London, the Midlands, the north east of England and Yorkshire, the north west of England, the south east of England and the south west of England (see Table).
The centres will open 12 hours per day, 6 days per week.
As part of the ten-year health plan for England, the government said it plans to create 250 neighbourhood health centres by 2035, with 120 of those being ready by 2030.
“A range of services under one roof will mean more conditions can be treated swiftly locally — allowing people to talk through their health conditions, as well as their lifestyle and quality of life and any other relevant contributing factors, enabling a rapid referral to the appropriate care and support where this is needed,” the statement said.
Kinnock commented: “These one-stop shops will help end the maze of referrals and repeated conversations, treating not just poor health but the causes of it, too.”
Claire Fuller, national medical director for NHS England, said: “[The centres] will make it easier for people, particularly working-class communities, to access more joined-up care closer to home.”
The centres form part of the ten-year health plan’s objective to shift more care from hospitals into the community, with community pharmacy taking on more clinical services, including supporting long-term conditions, prevention, prescribing and vaccination.
Amandeep Doll, director for England at the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, said: “Neighbourhood health centres have the potential to improve access to care and support prevention by bringing services closer to patients’ homes and better connecting multidisciplinary teams. But the government and NHS must work with partners to ensure this builds on and integrates with existing pharmacy access.
“Pharmacy teams are already highly accessible and have a vital role in supporting prevention, managing long-term conditions and helping people stay well. Embedding pharmacists more fully within these neighbourhood models will help patients get timely advice and treatment and help reduce pressure on other parts of the NHS.
“To make this work, pharmacy must be supported as an equal partner from the outset with sustainable funding, investment in the workforce and training, including for pharmacist prescribers, and the right digital infrastructure needed for integrated care.”
