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NHS: Buildings

Asked by James McMurdockIndependentDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled Answered 2 June 2026UIN 2545

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of the potential to increase utilisation of the existing NHS estate.

Answered by Karin Smyth

Data on the utilisation of the National Health Service estate is collected and published annually through the Estates Returns Information Collection. The latest data from 2024/25 is available at the following link:

https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/estates-returns-information-collection/summary-page-and-dataset-for-eric-2024-25

At a local level, NHS trusts are responsible for managing their estates and making effective strategic decisions about land use. But as set out in our 10-Year Health Plan, the Government recognises there is more we can do to support local NHS organisations to make better use of the existing estate. That is why we are doing more to align financial incentives to increase estates utilisation and dispose of under-used and surplus land, whilst ensuring existing flexibilities are clear and accessible for frontline NHS organisations.

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