Will the neighbourhood health model fail? The BMA's warning over contract delays explained

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By Daniel Pye

The government's flagship plan to shift NHS care into communities risks failing before it has even got off the ground, the British Medical Association has warned, as crucial contracts remain unpublished months after their promised deadline.

Two new contracts underpinning neighbourhood health centres – promised for late 2025 – have been pushed back to April 2026, leaving GPs in limbo about how the model will operate.