People in Northwood can access a wide range of services in one place at a modern health centre, created with help from NHS Property Services by bringing a much-valued local building back into use.
The 16 million refurbishment project in Hillingdon repurposed vacant NHS estate to reduce unused space and provide modern facilities for a growing local population.
Northwood Health Centre, a locally listed former cottage hospital that has stood vacant since the late 2010s, has been brought back into healthcare use after the refurbishment.
Since opening in September 2026, the 1,500 sqm centre has brought together Acre Surgery, The Carepoint Practice and community services provided by Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust. Its modern, flexible facilities provide a home for integrated services designed to meet the community’s changing needs.
Kieran Kinsella, Director of Advisory Services at NHS Property Services, said: “It’s rewarding to see Northwood Health Centre open for the Hillingdon community and our NHS colleagues after so much hard work. The new health centre shows how we can help transform the NHS estate by repurposing existing healthcare buildings.”
The centre provides GP care alongside district nursing, wound care, mental health support, talking therapies, diabetes services, bladder and bowel care, health visiting, and school nursing.
Close working with other local GP practices, mental health teams, local groups and residents informed the design of the centre’s clinical and collaborative spaces, helping ensure that the facility met clinical needs.
Dr Manish Patel, GP Partner at Carepoint Practice in Northwood Health Centre, said: “Carepoint and Acre Surgery are delighted to welcome our patients and the local community to our new health centre. It is particularly rewarding to see a previously closed facility brought back into use for the benefit of the community.
“The modern, accessible facilities provide a more comfortable environment for patients and an improved working environment for our staff. Bringing services together under one roof will support closer collaboration between healthcare professionals, helping us deliver more coordinated care for years to come.”
Minister of State for Health, Karin Smyth, commented: “Northwood Health Centre brings a much-valued local building back to life, delivering GP and community services under one roof so people can get joined-up care closer to home. These kind of centres will help end the frustration for patients of being referred from one location to another, and ensure they get help with the causes of ill health, not just the symptoms. This all forms part of our 10 Year Health Plan, as we look to shift healthcare into the community, delivering easier access to care and improved outcomes for patients.”
Vacant space
NHS Property Services (NHSPS) worked with North West London Integrated Care Board and healthcare partners to refurbish and optimise the historic site. The scheme included partial demolition and an extension, removing 2,000 sqm of vacant space and creating a right-sized, fit-for-purpose facility. NHSPS Open Space are operating three times the number of rooms in the new building.
Vanessa Odlin, Managing Director at Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We are thrilled to play our part in the opening of Northwood Health Centre. We see Northwood Health Centre as another step towards bringing health and social care services together in the borough. Thank you to NHS Property Services and a special thank you to our Hillingdon Health and Care Partners on this move towards preventative and unified care.”
Heritage
Conserving the locally listed building formed part of the development work coordinated by NHSPS teams. Historic features, including the founder’s plaque and memorial beam, have been preserved. The teams also appointed the main contractor and worked through the planning process to move the project forward and ensure the building’s conservation.
NHSPS released surplus land for 70 homes, supporting local housing needs and helping fund the health centre. By releasing this land, the project maximised the value of the wider site and reinvested that value in facilities for patient care.
Sustainability
Poor energy performance and the need to meet modern environmental standards made sustainability central to the refurbishment of the former estate. The refurbished building includes air-source heat pumps, LED lighting and thermally efficient building fabric. These measures are expected to reduce carbon emissions by 80% compared with London targets. Electric vehicle charging points, water-efficient flow restrictors, biodiversity planting and three garden areas further support environmental performance and wellbeing.
The scheme demonstrates how NHS Property Services helps health systems make better use of existing estate, deliver the right facilities where they are needed and turn property decisions into measurable benefits.
NHSPS has returned an important community asset to use and reduced vacant space in Northwood and the surrounding areas, and by combining estate optimisation knowledge with development expertise, has created a welcoming, sustainable home for neighbourhood care provision.
