The government’s recently unveiled 10-Year Health Plan wants to set up to 300 “neighbourhood health hubs.” – local one-stop centres to offer diagnostics, outpatient treatment, mental health support, and preventive services, to relieve pressure on hospitals. To fund the plan, the government is turning to the private sector, but what does history teach us about the impact of this approach and what other options for public borrowing could be considered?
Inside the new UK Infrastructure 10-Year Strategy, the direction is clear:
‘Government will rapidly explore the potential to use Public Private Partnerships to deliver certain types of primary and community health infrastructure, taking a decision by Autumn Budget 2025.’
In government terminology, PFI and its successor, PF2, are both forms of private-public partnerships. Surely, we are not returning to those days? Don’t worry, say officials, we will not be repeating the “mistakes of the past.”
Full article on The Lowdown, 1 August 2025
