Nuffield Health acquires nine Virgin Active Health Clubs

Nuffield Health, the UK’s leading not-for-profit healthcare organisation, has today announced the acquisition of nine Virgin Active Health Clubs.

The new gyms will increase Nuffield Health’s footprint throughout the UK, allowing more health consumers to benefit from their unique approach to health and wellbeing.

Dr Andrew Jones, Managing Director Wellbeing, Nuffield Health, says,
"These acquisitions are an important step towards achieving Nuffield Health’s ambition of a national network of fitness and wellbeing facilities. The locations of the gyms allow us to either reach parts of the country that we do not have a presence in, or to complement our current offering in the area, whether that be a Hospital or Corporate Wellbeing facility.

This will enable us to deliver healthcare across the UK and by combining services and experts at our co-located facilities, support more local people with an integrated health and wellbeing proposition."

By introducing new services including a free Health MOT* for every member and access to experts from Health Mentors to Physiotherapists and Nutritionists, Nuffield Health plan to enhance the gym experience and work with members to help them achieve their fitness goals.

Of particular relevance is the purchase of the Manchester Printworks Virgin Active Health Club, as earlier this month, Nuffield Health announced a strategic partnership with Manchester Metropolitan University to improve health in the North West of England. The partnership will see a state of the art hospital and wellbeing centre built in central Manchester. Together the two will collaborate on research and development, training for local healthcare professionals and fitness, wellbeing and sickness prevention.

This acquisition is the start of Nuffield Health’s long term vision which includes plans for a network of wellbeing centres to help the Manchester community address their health and fitness, as well as working with employers of Manchester to help them support their employees better to prevent ill-health.

As a result of today's announcement, Nuffield Health's overall membership rises to over 325,000, across 74 consumer gyms and 202 corporate fitness and wellbeing sites.

*Nuffield Health’s 60 minute comprehensive Health MOT measures waist to hip ratio, blood pressure, aerobic fitness, blood glucose, total cholesterol, sleep, stress, alcohol consumption and smoking habits, assesses fitness progress and includes goal setting.

Last updated Wednesday 23 March 2016

First published on Tuesday 5 August 2014