Welcome to our Securing the Future Programme Bulletin. These quarterly updates for NHS partners will keep you informed of the Programme’s priorities, key actions and progress as we approach the end of the current arrangements and consider the next phase for the LIFT assets.

The focus on utilisation and optimisation

Last year ICBs were asked to classify their estate into core, flex and tail as part of the development of ICS Infrastructure Strategies. Where the LIFT assets are core to NHS service delivery, building utilisation and optimisation is an imperative to support increased NHS productivity and to achieve greater value for money.

The government’s Plan for Change focuses on three shifts and the creation of neighbourhood health services. The investment in LIFT created well maintained health facilities in communities of need, enabling the integration of care, closer to home. The ability to adapt the LIFT assets and CHP’s access to capital means that space can be repurposed quickly and cost effectively, enabling neighbourhood health services to be delivered at pace.

CHP’s regional teams work in partnership to support the NHS deliver on its clinical service ambitions. Our people are engaged in local discussions to develop plans to support more care delivery through the LIFT portfolio. If you are not already engaged with your regional team, please get in touch and they will be happy to discuss the buildings and opportunities in your area.

Programme Business Case process

Following engagement with Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) CHP must formally establish the Securing the Future Programme and agree the approach for the next phase of the LIFT assets. This means completing the Business Case process for the Programme as a whole and attaining approval from the DHSC and HM Treasury.

The first stage is developing the Programme’s Strategic Outline Case (SOC) which will need to be agreed by CHP’s Board at its meeting in May before being submitted to DHSC in June for their review and then consideration by the Joint Investment Committee (JIC) at DHSC/NHSE.

Once JIC have approved the preferred approach, CHP will then need to develop an Outline Business Case, building on the SOC. This will take time to develop through into 2026/27, we will keep you updated on timescales.

Keeping you updated

Our commitment is to keep you updated on a quarterly basis and at key points in the business case approval process, as they are achieved.
We will communicate more when we have a decision on the SOC and plan to run a webinar.

Date: May 2025