In a new report, the membership organisation identified seven PPPs from around the world that could be rolled out in England.

Matthew Taylor, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, said: ‘This is not about resurrecting the old private finance initiatives (PFI) model but building a new model fit for the future, that learns from our own experiences and other countries. While there are justified criticisms of PFI, our report shows that we can learn the lessons and reap the benefits.'

One option identified is using the Government's newly created National Wealth Fund, mirroring the Welsh government's approach where the Welsh Development Bank has taken a stake in Cardiff's Velindre Cancer Centre.

The chancellor is expected to make a decision on the use of PPP to finance neighbourhood health centres in the Autumn Budget.

The FT has reported the Government has sounded out private finance investors about backing up to 200 neighbourhood health centres. DHSC documents seen by the FT propose granting long-term contracts for investors to design, build and manage local NHS centres with the aim of having one in every community by 2035 with the most deprived areas targeted first.

The NHS Confederation is calling on the Government to go further and allow public-private finance models for hospitals and wider NHS services, as well as it being one of the only ways to boost capital funding given the precarious state of public finances.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: ‘This Government is determined to shift health out of hospitals and into the community as set out in the 10-Year Health Plan.

‘Neighbourhood health services will be fundamental to delivering this shift and while no decisions have been made, it's right that we look at a range of options to provide the best care for people across the country, especially in underserved, deprived or rural areas.'