The neighbourhood health framework: what you need to know

On 17 March 2026, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and NHS England published the neighbourhood health framework (NHF), setting out a comprehensive vision for how primary, community and social care services will be planned, commissioned and delivered across England. This article provides a concise overview of the framework’s key elements and what they mean for health and social care providers.

Background: Health Plan for England

The NHF is a central pillar of the government’s 10-year Health Plan for England, which commits to shifting care away from hospital settings and into local communities. Integrated care boards (ICBs) are being asked to begin implementing minimum requirements from the 2026/27 financial year, with more fundamental reform expected between April 2027 and March 2029.

What is the neighbourhood health framework?

At its core, NHF seeks to organise NHS services around defined local populations of approximately 50,000 people. It brings together GPs, community health services, social care and voluntary sector organisations to deliver more joined-up, preventative care closer to people’s homes.

The framework introduces three new population-based contract models:

1. Single neighbourhood providers (SNPs): delivering integrated neighbourhood team services within a single neighbourhood
2. Multi-neighbourhood providers (MNPs): coordinating delivery across multiple neighbourhoods for populations of 250,000 or more
3. Integrated Health Organisations (IHOs): holding a whole-population health budget for a defined geography.

The NHF also sets out five national goals, with measurable targets spanning improved health outcomes, better access to general practice, improved planned and urgent care, and enhanced patient and staff satisfaction.

What is the purpose of neighbourhood health centres?

The government has committed to delivering 250 neighbourhood health centres (NHCs) by 2035, with 120 delivered by 2030. The first wave, planned for 2026/27, will focus largely on repurposing existing NHS buildings in areas of highest deprivation.

NHCs are intended to serve as the physical anchor points for neighbourhood health delivery, providing the estate from which integrated neighbourhood teams operate. The NHF states that NHCs will be a mix of repurposed underused estate and new builds. Around 20% of new builds will be publicly funded, with the remainder delivered through public-private partnerships. This marks a significant return to private finance models for NHS infrastructure.

Stephen Kinnock MP, Minister of State for Care said:

“We need to end people being passed from pillar to post in a fragmented and, at times, chaotic system, and make local health services meaningfully accountable to local residents and service users. Neighbourhood health will only work as a joint endeavour between the NHS and local authorities, alongside wider partners.”

What does this mean for health and social care providers?

The new contractual models carry distinct implications for providers.

SNP contracts could be held by primary care providers, including general practice. NHS England has confirmed it will consult on how SNP arrangements will interact with primary care networks (PCNs). This raises the possibility that existing primary care providers could transition into, or operate alongside, SNP contract holders.

MNP contracts are less prescriptive about who may hold them. This creates a potential route for larger independent and third-sector providers to play a significant role in commissioning and delivering neighbourhood health at scale.

IHO contracts will only be held by NHS organisations. However, NHS England has indicated it will develop routes for mature neighbourhood providers to lead an IHO through alliances or joint ventures with statutory NHS bodies. This may open the door to some level of independent sector involvement.

Next steps and anticipated timelines

Detailed contract terms for all three models are still being developed, and a busy programme of consultations and publications is expected. The 2026/27 financial year will act as a developmental year, with DHSC and NHS England working closely with the first SNPs and MNPs to develop the neighbourhood health care model. NHS England will designate the first wave of providers eligible to hold IHO contracts in spring 2026, with further guidance expected in a Model IHO blueprint later in the year. A small number of IHOs are expected to become operational in 2027.

For now, the immediate priority for stakeholders is to monitor and respond to forthcoming consultations on new contract models and supporting guidance. Given the breadth of national targets embedded in the NHF, providers should also consider how they can demonstrate their ability to contribute to these outcomes, as this is likely to play an increasing role in commissioning decisions.