• Four neighbourhood health centres confirmed for North East and Yorkshire – part of the first national wave of 27
• Backed by up to £50 million Government funding nationally to bring care closer to home
• Centres will provide one stop shop access to NHS and community services in areas with the highest need

Thousands of people across the North East and Yorkshire will benefit from improved access to healthcare closer to home with four neighbourhood health centres in region set for upgrades as part of its first national wave.

The centres – in Doncaster (The Stone Castle Centre), Leeds (Beeston Hill), Bradford (Westbourne Green) and County Durham (Seaham Primary Care Centre) – are among the first in England to be upgraded or expanded under the 10 Year Health Plan, which aims to cut waiting lists, tackle inequalities and shift more care into communities.

Once completed, people will be able to access a wider range of NHS services under one roof and on their doorstep, such as urgent care, GP and pharmacy services. Over time, centres will also bring together wider support such as debt, employment and family advice to help address the root causes of poor health.

The first 27 centres across England – including the four in North East and Yorkshire – will be open by 2027, backed by up to £50 million in this wave and a total of £200 million for the first 50 sites.

These sites have been prioritised based on deliverability, alignment with the neighbourhood health model, and levels of local deprivation, ensuring investment goes first to communities who need it most.

Neighbourhood health centres aim to create end to end, joined up care, reducing unnecessary hospital visits and supporting people with long term or complex needs, including those nearing the end of life.

In total the government has pledged to open 250 by 2036, with the first 120 open by 2030.

Welcoming the news in Beeston, Leeds, Dr Kashif Sarwar, GP and Clinical Director of Beeston Primary Care Network said: “The funding means we can upgrade our estate and work with partners across health, social care and the voluntary sector to bring even more services together under one roof, making care simpler and more convenient for local people.

“With integrated teams and improved access to services and diagnostics, we can help people get the right care earlier, improve continuity, and tackle the wider factors that shape health and wellbeing.”

Seaham Primary Care Centre, in County Durham, will also receive a welcome boost through new funding to strengthen and future proof its facilities.

Levi Buckley, Chief Delivery Officer at North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board (ICB), said: “Over the coming years we want to bring care closer to home and offer more integrated services in local neighbourhoods. This new funding will help us as we work to make sure Seaham Primary Care Centre is ready for this new neighbourhood approach.

“We will continue to work with partners and the community in Seaham to shape the range of services that is most useful for the area’s needs.”

Dr Faisel Baig, GP and Primary Care Medical Director for NHS North East and Yorkshire said: “The intention is neighbourhood health centres will be seen as the place to go for many health needs in every community. They will make it easier for people from all communities to access more joined up care closer to home.

“By bringing GP services together, we can help people to get the right care more quickly, close to home, while avoiding unnecessary trips to hospital. We are bringing care to them with a wider range of more tailored support.”

Health Minister Stephen Kinnock said: “This government is transforming healthcare, so the NHS works around the lives of patients – not vice versa.
“We’re rolling out neighbourhood health centres across the country by repurposing and improving local buildings, first targeting the communities that need them most. 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.

“As we rebuild our NHS, our mission is to shift more healthcare into the community, while delivering easier access to care, improved outcomes for patients and better value for money for the taxpayer.”