Health Secretary opens UEL's new Neighbourhood Health Hub

The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, the Rt Hon Wes Streeting MP, has presided over the opening of the University of East London’s (UEL) new Neighbourhood Health Hub in the London Borough of Newham – a pioneering partnership bringing healthcare closer to home through collaboration between the University, the NHS and local authorities.

The launch event at UEL’s Stratford Health Campus on 17 October brought together local leaders, health partners, students and residents to see how the Hub will transform access to health and wellbeing services in east London.

The Neighbourhood Health Hub plans to provide accessible, preventative, research-informed healthcare services for local residents, while offering hands-on training opportunities for students and professionals, both preparing to join and progressing further in the health and social care workforce. It combines clinical care, education and research under one roof - creating a model that supports healthier lives, reducing pressure on local GPs and hospitals, advancing digital innovation and offering students real-world experience in a prevention-first approach to healthcare.

Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said,

Where you live shouldn’t determine how long you live but that is the unjust reality in our capital today. A girl born in Newham will fall into ill health six years earlier than a girl born down the road in Kensington and Chelsea - this is a scandal which we are determined to end.

“This groundbreaking neighbourhood health hub will bring healthcare closer to communities that need it most, providing a one-stop shop for health and care services on people's doorsteps. It is a leading light of change we are making in the NHS, shifting its focus from hospital to community. 

“By integrating care, education and innovation in one place, we're not just treating illness - we're preventing it, training the next generation of healthcare professionals, and bringing our analogue health service into the digital age."  

At the Hub, residents can access a wide range of practical, community-based health and wellbeing services, including:

• Physiotherapy, sports therapy and podiatry for injury recovery and mobility support
• Counselling and wellbeing sessions, including mindfulness and parenting support
• Health checks and screening for blood pressure, cholesterol and heart health
• Musculoskeletal therapy, a non-invasive technology that supports joint, muscle and bone health – with free sessions offered to eligible Newham residents as part of clinical trials

Professor Amanda Broderick, Vice-Chancellor & President, University of East London, said,

The Neighbourhood Health Hub is designed to be a ‘passport to good health’ for our community, reflecting three vital goals: helping families build healthy foundations from a young age; supporting people to stay active and in work; and reducing health inequalities for everyone in our community.

The Neighbourhood Health Hub also gives our community access to free, high-quality services while offering students and practitioners transformative learning experiences that prepare them to make a difference from day one in the NHS.”

The Hub forms part of UEL’s expanding Stratford Health Campus, which also includes the University’s state-of-the-art Hospital and Primary Care Training Hub, opened by His Majesty King Charles III, and the forthcoming Academic Health Building. Together, these facilities are shaping a new model for healthcare education, research and service delivery in east London.

UEL is also developing a new, primary care-focused medical school, with its MBBS degree at the heart of the Stratford Health Campus. From 2027, and subject to General Medical Council (GMC) approval, the programme will train doctors for east London, from east London - widening access to medicine and strengthening the region’s healthcare workforce for generations to come.