Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have any plans to replace NHS Property Services Ltd; and if so, whether they are considering a private sector model for its future ownership, and whether an external consultant has been appointed to identify ownership options.

The Department is developing plans to establish a new National Health Service property organisation, in response to early recommendations made by Sir Robert Naylor’s ongoing review of the NHS estate. We are committed to ensuring that the new organisation fully supports and reflects the needs and priorities of the NHS.

A key function of the new organisation will be to provide a single strengthened source of strategic estates planning expertise for the NHS. This will build on the support that existing teams in NHS Property Services and Community Health Partnerships have been providing to the NHS locally, including in the development of estates proposals as part of sustainability and transformation plans. An external consultant has been appointed to support us in this work.

Further details on the proposed new organisation, including its organisational form and models for its future ownership, will be set out in due course.