Figures on surplus land in NHS estate published

16 Jun 2017 03:16 PM

Information on land and buildings which have been sold, as well as land which has been retained but developed and used for housing, has been published by NHS Digital in a new format.

NHS Surplus Land 2016/17 is based on data from all NHS trusts in England, including ambulance trusts, and reflects the position as at March 31, 20172.

The Surplus Land collection provides information on sites that can be disposed of, thereby contributing to the Government Public Sector Land Disposal Programme.

It can be used to monitor progress against the Government's targets relating to releasing publicly owned land for housing.

Information includes the total area of surplus land within the NHS, declared market value and value of land sold between April 1, 2016, and March 31, 2017.

The collection also contains details of the proposed future use of surplus land which has been disposed of, such as for housing, mixed use, leisure space or community use3.

This is the second year that NHS Digital has produced these experimental statistics4.

Information is available at NHS trust level5.

Read the full report at: http://www.content.digital.nhs.uk/pubs/nhsland1617

Notes to editors

  1. NHS Digital is the national information and technology provider for the health and care system. Our team of information analysis, technology and project management experts create, deliver and manage the crucial digital systems, services, products and standards upon which health and care professionals depend. During the 2016/17 financial year, NHS Digital published 292 statistical reports. Our vision is to harness the power of information and technology to make health and care better. NHS Digital is the new trading name for the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC). We provide 'Information and Technology for better health and care'. Find out more about our role and remit at www.digital.nhs.uk
  2. Where there are issues of sensitivity around the availability of, or proposals to dispose of, the surplus land, data provisions have the option to declare this on submission. In such cases, details of the surplus land are included in the aggregate national figures in the Excel report tables but not in the site level information provided in the machine readable data file. Examples of such issues include where plans are at a very early stage, where plans have not yet been discussed, or where discussions with a potential buyer are ongoing and where confidentiality is required as a condition of those discussions.
  3. This is the second year that NHS Digital has produced data relating to surplus NHS land. In recognition of the fact that there have been some minor changes to the data collected, including the addition of nine questions required by the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG), these statistics retain their designation of "experimental". The classification of experimental statistics is in keeping with the UK Statistics Authority's Code of Practice for Official Statistics. Experimental statistics are new official statistics that are undergoing evaluation. They are published in order to involve users and stakeholders in their development, and as a means to build in quality at an early stage. The Code of Practice states that "effective user engagement is fundamental to both trust in statistics and securing maximum public value" and that as suppliers of information, it is important that we involve users in the evaluation of experimental statistics.
  4. The following tables have been published:

Table 1: Total area, declared market value, and value of land sold for NHS land identified as surplus1 as at 31 March 2017, England
Table 2: Status of NHS plots identified as surplus as at 31 March 2017, England
Table 3: Sales status of surplus NHS plots as at 31 March 2017, England
Table 4: Detailed information for NHS plots identified as surplus as at 31 March 2017, England

  1. For media enquires please contact media@nhsdigital.nhs.net or telephone 0300 30 33 888.