Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he is taking steps to ensure biophilic design is embedded into neighbourhood health centres.

The neighbourhood health centres guidance and specification, published on 15 April 2026, sets out both the strategic framework and the planning requirements for how providers, integrated care boards, and NHS England regions should organise their estates to support neighbourhood health.

As set out in the Neighbourhood Health design specifications, it is expected that new build neighbourhood health centres will meet the Net Zero Building Standard and provide exemplars for low carbon construction and operation. Centres are also required to be healthy buildings, providing well-tempered and well-designed environments.

Beyond this, we expect neighbourhood health teams and services will be designed in a way that reflects the specific needs of local populations. While there will be a consistent focus on personalised coordinated care, the centres will look different in different places, and this could include biophilic design.