Government Doubles Down on Cutting NHS Waiting Times with Major Rollout of New Neighbourhood Health Centres
The Chancellor has announced a bold new plan to slash NHS waiting times and bring healthcare closer to home, confirming major investment in 250 new Neighbourhood Health Centres across England. The announcement, part of this week’s Autumn Budget, sets out how the government will make the “fair choices” needed to cut NHS waiting lists, reduce national debt, and lower the cost of living while driving record investment into frontline services.
These state-of-the-art Neighbourhood Health Centres—designed as “one-stop shops” for local care—will bring together GPs, nurses, dentists, pharmacists, and outpatient clinics all under one roof. Aimed first at the most deprived communities, the centres will tackle the postcode lottery in healthcare access and make it easier than ever for patients to get the treatment they need minutes from their homes.
By moving more outpatient appointments out of hospitals and into local communities, the new centres will help reduce pressure on busy hospital sites, prevent treatment delays, and support patients with long-term conditions such as heart failure and diabetes. The Neighbourhood Health Service will also cut the frustration patients often experience when they feel “passed around the system,” offering joined-up, end-to-end care.
To support this transformation, the Chancellor has also confirmed £300 million in new NHS technology investment, designed to boost productivity and free up staff time. This funding will help roll out advanced digital tools that automate admin tasks, improve access to patient information, and streamline communication between healthcare teams. With hospitals already seeing a 2.4% productivity increase this year, the government says further improvements could unlock £17 billion in efficiency savings over the next three years—money that will be fully reinvested to improve patient care.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves said:
“At this Budget, I’ll set out how we deliver on the country’s priorities—to cut NHS waiting times, cut debt, and cut the cost of living. We’re driving down waiting lists by bringing healthcare to patients’ doorsteps and turbocharging NHS productivity with cutting-edge technology. Our record investment, combined with focused reform, will deliver better care and better outcomes for NHS patients.”
Construction of the new centres will be delivered through a modern partnership between public and private sectors, using both new builds and repurposed buildings to ensure value for taxpayers. This forms a core part of the government’s NHS Rebuild strategy—revamping the health service after years of under-investment.
Health Minister Karin Smyth added:
“Neighbourhood Health Centres reimagine how the NHS works. They put patients at the centre by bringing care closer to home. Investment alone isn’t enough, so we’re using every tool available—including private sector expertise—to deliver the modern NHS people deserve.”
The government reports major early progress: NHS waiting lists have already dropped by over 200,000, the biggest fall in more than 15 years, alongside 5.2 million extra appointments and faster cancer diagnosis rates.
The Autumn Budget builds on this momentum—laying the foundations for an NHS that is faster, more efficient, more accessible, and fit for the future.
