MP convenes NHS and property leaders to examine town-centre health hub model
Sonia Kumar, the Member of Parliament for Dudley, has brought together senior figures from the NHS and the property sector to examine how a Health on the High Street scheme could operate in Dudley town centre. The discussions focused on repurposing vacant or underused retail premises to deliver accessible NHS and community healthcare services while contributing to the wider regeneration of the town centre.
The meeting included Rob Ellis, Director of Shopping Centres at LCP, and David Melbourne, Chair of the Black Country Integrated Care Board. The participants explored how the established model — which colocates a range of health services in high-street locations — might be adapted for Dudley.
“Health on the High Street is about bringing healthcare into the heart of our communities, making it easier for people to get the support they need while breathing new life into our town centre.”
As an NHS-trained physiotherapist, Ms Kumar has prioritised improving local access to care since entering Parliament. Earlier this year she secured a commitment from Government ministers to discuss how Dudley could benefit from the Government’s neighbourhood health centres programme after raising the issue in the House of Commons.
Services under consideration and potential benefits
The concept under discussion would see a spectrum of NHS and community services delivered from high-street premises. The article’s source lists possible services that could be offered in a Dudley scheme, which would aim to make care easier to reach for people who live, work or shop in the town centre.
- Physiotherapy
- Diagnostics
- Health checks
- Vaccination clinics
- Mental health support
- Community nursing
- Other preventative healthcare services
Evidence from elsewhere in the UK suggests the approach can improve access to care, provide earlier intervention for health problems and increase footfall that benefits surrounding businesses. Meeting participants discussed how those potential advantages could be balanced with the practicalities of fitting clinical services into non-medical buildings and aligning with local NHS priorities.
Survey launched to shape Dudley plans
Following the meeting, Ms Kumar has launched a public survey inviting Dudley residents to help shape what Health on the High Street could look like locally. The survey is intended to gather views on which services residents would like to see and where such a facility should be located.
The MP stressed the link between early access to care and patient outcomes, drawing on her professional experience within the NHS. By bringing together property specialists and NHS decision-makers, she said the aim was to create a practical proposal that could both ease pressure on existing services and contribute to town-centre regeneration.
Local context and next steps
Dudley, like many town centres, has a mixture of vacant and underused retail properties that policymakers and developers have identified as opportunities for redevelopment. The Health on the High Street concept is one of several models being explored nationally as councils and health bodies seek to reimagine high streets in the face of changing retail patterns.
| Stakeholder | Role |
|---|---|
| Sonia Kumar MP | Convener; campaigner for improved access to healthcare |
| Rob Ellis (LCP) | Director of Shopping Centres; property sector input |
| David Melbourne | Chair, Black Country Integrated Care Board; NHS strategic input |
Participants have not set a fixed timeline for delivering a scheme in Dudley. The immediate objective is to use the survey feedback and subsequent engagement to develop a workable proposal that aligns with NHS commissioning priorities and property availability. Any move to establish services in a town-centre location would also require consideration of clinical standards, staffing, accessibility and funding.
For residents, the discussions represent an opportunity to influence local health provision and shape how the town centre could be used to meet healthcare needs while supporting economic activity.
