No. Unless the site is declared surplus by the commissioners or NHS E/I, we are not permitted to sell an operational site. It is against NHSPS to dispose of land which is required for the ongoing delivery of commissioned health requirements.

The exception is where Assets have been clearly vacant for 6 months or more, and where NHSPS has attempted to contact the commissioner to provide evidence of any ongoing healthcare requirement. In this instance, NHSPS may start marketing those sites for disposal.

Any land sold by us will be at Market Value.

Yes, if the commissioner declares the site surplus a Property Vacation Notice (PVN) will normally be completed by the commissioner and given to NHSPS.

NHSPS have a prescribed PVN form which will require signatures from the commissioner’s Accountable Officer and the Chief Financial Officer copied to Director of Finance of Local NHS England Direct Commissioning Organisations (DCOs), or in the London Region, to the Financial Assurance Team.

You can learn more about our disposal process in our guide.

When a PVN has been served, NHSPS may place the property on the Register for Surplus Public Sector Land (ePIMS) for a period of 40 working days. NHSPS may also place the property on the Open Market for sale at this point, but no offer from the private sector can be accepted during the ePIMS period.

All our proceeds are reinvested into the NHS. Previously, proceeds were pooled nationally and split between regions for reinvestment by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC). However as of May 2021, 50 per cent of the net proceeds from our property disposals of up to £5m now go to local health economies for reinvestment to support agreed ICS estate priorities. 50 per cent will continue to be pooled nationally and reinvested across the country by DHSC to fund national priority building improvements.

We are backdating this policy, applying it to properties that were handed back for disposal handback since 1st April 2020, enabling more schemes and communities across the country to benefit.

Yes, NHSPS is permitted by DHSC to develop land and recycle any capital released through the development sale of surplus land, as an alternative funding source.

This will be considered if the proposal relates to an ICS priority project and only if there is a direct and significant link with the surplus land and the ICS priority project. An example of this would be where the proposed healthcare development releases land for disposal, on the same site.

ICS governance needs to support investment as an estate priority, and ICS estate priorities as set out in the 2018 STP (now ICS) Estates Workbook and subsequent 2019 refresh. The onus would be on the ICS to update us to changes to the clinical and estate needs.

This is a letter of support and intention from the commissioner to support the development and in consideration for NHSPS’ capital spending commitment to commission services, and pay rent on completion of the development for an agreed period. If it is a large development project, an agreement for lease may be required between the commissioner and NHSPS.

The comfort letter will state whether the commissioner will refund NHSPS’ professional fees if a project is aborted. An agreement will be required to record this, giving assurance that the rent and occupancy costs will be paid during the whole lease period.

NHSPS have a CCL proforma which can be used by commissioners to confirm project support. The letter should be agreed and signed by an Integrated Care System or Clinical Commissioning Group Chief Executive Officer and Director of Asset Management at NHSPS or equivalent persons at the relevant commissioner before it is sent to the NHSPS development project lead surveyor.

The NHSPS Town Planning team proactively identify opportunities for strategic site promotions through the planning system, to ensure that NHS sites are appropriately allocated through local planning policy documents. This enables a smoother planning process for the future development of our sites and maximises the value of surplus NHS sites. This activity has already generated £millions in value uplift for NHS sites that are surplus to NHS requirements and resulted in dozens of sites being allocated for health use.

Subject to resource availability, this service will not be chargeable for health commissioners where dedicated NHSPS resource or external consultancy time is not required i.e., policy examination appearances

Yes, the Town Planning Team lead on joint NHS responses to all major planning policy consultations for the wider NHS, including the National Planning Policy Framework and London Plan. The team review planning policy consultation documents in England and, where appropriate, respond via engagement with other NHS teams to ensure NHS interests are protected and promoted. If beneficial, ICS Planning leads can choose to jointly submit representations with NHSPS if a planning policy will impact them.

This service will not be chargeable for health commissioners, subject to resource availability.

NHSPS can assist NHS colleagues on non NHSPS sites across a range of planning matters and assistance can be extended on non NHSPS sites, subject to team capacity.

This service will be provided on a time/2*salary basis, or a fixed fee as agreed.

Working collaboratively with commissioner leads, the NHSPS Town Planning team will be seeking to capture more funding for NHS priority estates and capital strategies. NHSPS can manage the professional and technical aspects of engagement with the Local Planning Authority for the purpose of securing funds.

All activities directly related to the NHSPS portfolio are self-funded and would incur no external charges.

On non NHSPS owned sites assistance will be offered on a cost recovery basis of 5% which, where possible, is a cost included into the funding bid. If third party professional fees are required, e.g., a Barrister or Quantity Surveyor this will be pre-agreed on a case-by-case basis with the instructing ICS.