One Community

What One Community does

Community 1st is a UK public-private partnership (PPP) company established in 2004 that operates under the NHS Local Improvement Finance Trust (LIFT) framework to design, build, finance, and operate NHS healthcare premises. It holds long-term, exclusive strategic partnering agreements with the NHS in three regions — Oldham (since 2004), Sheffield (since 2005), and Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly (since 2004) — structured as jointly-controlled regional subsidiaries (Community 1st Cornwall Limited, Community 1st Oldham Limited, Community 1st Sheffield Limited), with the Department of Health and Social Care holding a 40% ownership stake and private sector partners holding 60%. Headquartered in Stockport with regional offices in Oldham, Sheffield, and Truro, the company employs 150+ professionals and manages over 1 million square feet of primary care estate, having completed more than £400 million of NHS estate projects and 19 state-of-the-art health buildings to date.

The service stack spans feasibility and HM Treasury Green Book-compliant business case development, design and construction management (including modular and off-site methods), funding and investment structuring across NHS capital, grant, prudential borrowing, pension, and institutional sources, and end-to-end estate and facilities management delivered through a 24/7 UK-based helpdesk and partner Blue Support Services' roughly 70 multi-skilled engineers. Add-on offerings include a Net Zero Carbon four-step programme (with 18 health centres achieving EPC 'C' or above) and the exclusive LumiBio ultrasonic infection-prevention system. Notable capital projects include the Truro Health Park, Bodmin Community Diagnostics Centre, St Austell Elective Surgical Hub, and the modular-built Isles of Scilly Hospital and Integrated Health and Social Care Facility.

Revenue is generated via multi-year strategic partnering agreements that pre-clear procurement and value-for-money tests; pricing is custom and not publicly disclosed. All go-to-market activity is direct: the company is the procured NHS estates partner in its three designated regions and works without resellers or intermediaries. Customer concentration is effectively total NHS exposure across primary care trusts, foundation trusts, integrated care systems, and the Department of Health and Social Care. Distribution is anchored by local estate management teams, with broader visibility through healthcare-building forums, industry awards (2026 Structural Award, MMC 2026 shortlist), and limited content marketing.

Name

One Community

Legal name

Community 1st

Website

https://community1st.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Community 1st is a UK public-private partnership, established in 2004, that designs, builds, finances, and operates NHS healthcare premises under the LIFT framework as the procured exclusive estates partner for the NHS in Oldham, Sheffield, and Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Healthcare Facilities Management

NAICS

Services to Buildings and Dwellings (5617), Continuing Care Retirement Communities and Assisted Living Facilities for the Elderly (62331)

SIC

Services-Facilities Support Management Services (8744), Services-Health Services (8000), Services-To Dwellings & Other Buildings (7340)

akta.pro primary industry

Healthcare & Medical Office Property Management (BPAJAGAF)

Keywords

• NHS estate partnership
• Healthcare facilities management
• Public-private partnership
• LIFT joint venture
• Primary care infrastructure

Headquarters

HQ city

Eastleigh

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Public-Private Partnership (LIFT) Revenue: Community 1st operates as a LIFT (Local Improvement Finance Trust) joint venture where the Department of Health and Social Care owns 40% and the private sector owns 60%. The company designs, builds, finances and operates NHS premises through long-term partnership agreements, accessing multiple funding streams including NHS capital, grant funding, prudential borrowing, pension fund investment, and institutional funding.
2. Estate and Facilities Management Services: Property and facilities management services delivered through dedicated UK-based helpdesk providing 24/7 support. Services include property management, facilities management, achieving Net Zero Carbon, energy procurement, cleaning, catering, security, caretaking, space planning, whole-lifecycle building management, and capital works.
3. Development and Construction Management: Construction projects managed from initial concept through to completion, including new build, refurbishment and remodelling, capital works programmes, third party developments, and modular solutions. Revenue generated through design, project planning and management, site acquisition and disposal, architectural design services, and investment and financial management.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Community 1st is a public-private partnership that designs, builds, finances, and operates NHS healthcare premises as the long-term Local Improvement Finance Trust (LIFT) estates partner in Oldham, Sheffield, and Cornwall. It delivers a complete turnkey service from estate strategy, condition audits and business case development through to design, construction, and ongoing facilities management with 24/7 UK-based helpdesk support. It also provides modular construction, Net Zero Carbon solutions, and infection prevention control across its managed primary care estate.

Product overview

Community 1st is a public private partnership company that designs, builds, finances and operates NHS premises through the LIFT (Local Improvement Finance Trust) model. The company operates as a single unified service platform offering comprehensive NHS estates partner services, not a modular software platform. The core offering encompasses feasibility and business case development, development services (design, build, finance, operate), funding and investment solutions, estate and facilities strategy and planning, and estate and facilities management with 24/7 UK-based helpdesk support. Key projects include the Isles of Scilly Integrated Health and Social Care Facility and Truro Health Park. Add-on services include LumiBio infection prevention control and Net Zero Carbon solutions. The company manages over 1 million sq. ft of primary care estate across Oldham, Sheffield, and Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, having completed over £400m of NHS projects.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• NHS Estates Partnership Services Comprehensive long-term NHS estates partnership covering planning and evaluation, procurement and provision. Includes estate reviews, condition audits, utilisation assessments, and care pathway planning for NHS trusts, primary care providers and integrated care systems.
• Design, Build, Finance and Operate Services Turnkey service from initial survey, healthcare economics and future demand planning through business case development and clinically compliant design to construction and operational facilities management. For NHS trusts, primary care providers and integrated care systems.
• Feasibility and Business Case Development Estate and facilities management team support for early planning stages including site options appraisal, cost analysis, strategic and operational healthcare planning, and HM Treasury Green Book compliant business case development for NHS partners.
• Development Services Development services covering project planning and management, site acquisition and disposal, architectural design services, investment and financial management, and commercial and legal services. Infrastructure solutions include new build, refurbishment, capital works programmes, third party developments, and modular solutions.
• Funding and Investment Solutions

Quantifiable outcome

• Over £400m of NHS projects completed as part of partnership
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• NHS (Oldham, Sheffield, Cornwall)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity 1st operates as the procured long-term NHS estates partner in Oldham (since 2004), Sheffield (since 2005), and Cornwall (since 2004). Strategic partnering agreements provide exclusivity for local healthcare developments.
• Blue Support ServicescoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerFacilities management partner providing 24/7 reactive and pre-planned maintenance, statutory compliance services, and construction management across Community 1st's managed health estate. Employs around 70 multi-skilled building services engineers, construction team and helpdesk support staff.
• Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor NHS trust partner in Cornwall for whom Community 1st provides project management and procurement services. Major projects include Isles of Scilly Hospital, Bodmin Community Diagnostics Centre, and St Austell Elective Surgical Hub.
• Community Health PartnershipscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNHS organisation that is building owner and lead tenant for many of Community 1st's primary care facilities. Collaborative partnership for estate management and development.
• Bluesky ArchitectsmajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLead architectural and healthcare planning partner for major projects including Isles of Scilly Hospital. Responsible for architectural design services and design coordination with modular solutions.
• Premier ModularmajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerModular off-site construction solutions provider for healthcare projects. Provided 29 modular units for Isles of Scilly Hospital project enabling construction 27 miles offshore.
• METS LtdmajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerConstruction and groundworks contractor for major healthcare projects. Partnered with Community 1st on Isles of Scilly Hospital development, providing on-site construction services.
• TMSmajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerConstruction partner for healthcare developments including Isles of Scilly Hospital project. Provided site cabins and construction support for World Pilot Gig Championships infrastructure.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Mitie Healthcare: Major UK facilities management provider with a dedicated healthcare division delivering hard and soft FM services to NHS trusts. Comparable facilities management service line and NHS customer base, though broader portfolio across multiple sectors.
• Sodexo Healthcare: Global FM services provider with significant NHS soft-services contracts (cleaning, catering, security) in healthcare facilities. Comparable facilities management delivery to NHS estate, though broader non-specialist provider.
• Balfour Beatty Investments: Infrastructure investor arm of Balfour Beatty with material PPP/PFI/LIFT healthcare portfolio; invests as private-sector partner alongside government in healthcare PPPs. Comparable private-sector PPP investor role in NHS estate delivery.
• Equitix: UK infrastructure fund manager with significant primary healthcare/PFI-LIFT investment exposure, including the £500m+ Reabold/Equitix capital pool for NHS primary care. Comparable investor and asset manager role within the LIFT/PFI ecosystem.
• Kier Group (Kier Places): UK construction and FM group delivering healthcare infrastructure and facilities services to NHS trusts. Comparable integrated construction + FM capability for healthcare estates, with broader market exposure.
• NHS Property Services: Government-owned company (DHSC) that owns and manages around 3,000 NHS properties worth £11bn+ — Kate Edwards (Community 1st's Healthcare Development Director) previously held a senior role here. Directly comparable NHS estate management mandate and overlap in operational responsibilities.

Direct peers

• Octopus Healthcare (formerly MedicX): Specialist UK healthcare real estate investor and developer focused on primary care, GP surgery, and care home development. Comparable NHS-facing property investment and development model.
• Community Health Partnerships: Established by the Department of Health in 2001 as the central owner/landlord of LIFT primary care facilities; operates as the building owner and lead tenant alongside LIFT companies including Community 1st. Direct peer in the LIFT value chain with shared government ownership and PPP economics.
• Assura plc: UK healthcare REIT specialising in primary care medical centres; develops, owns and manages NHS-occupied healthcare property with long-term leases. Highly comparable asset class and NHS customer base, operating as a property investor/landlord model.
• Prime plc: UK-listed LIFT company providing design, build, finance and operate services for primary and community care NHS facilities across multiple UK regions under LIFT PPP frameworks. Closest publicly-traded comparable to Community 1st's business model and customer base.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/community-1st

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about One Community