Leading leisure operator, Parkwood Leisure, is reaffirming its commitment to MSK support by launching five new musculoskeletal [MSK] Hubs this Spring, driving impactful change in its communities across England and Wales. In addition, the commitment and work of Parkwood Leisure has been recognised by Good Boost, awarding five of Parkwood’s original pilot sites ‘Flagship Status’ in recognition of their exceptional delivery of the Good Boost evidence-based programs and service to individuals living with long-term health conditions and musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions.

Parkwood Leisure’s MSK Community Hubs initiative has proven instrumental in enhancing quality of life for participants. Surveys during the pilot phase revealed 62.5% of participants reported improvements in their wellbeing, with many achieving significant relief from their MSK conditions. Parkwood now has 33 locations across England and Wales including new sites in Bromley, Boston, Ilfracombe, Leeds and Milton Keynes.

MSK Community Hubs serve as a vital resource in supporting individuals managing MSK conditions, which affect one in five adults every year. MSK conditions pose a significant burden on both individuals and healthcare operators, costing the NHS an estimated £6.3 billion per year.

MSK Community Hubs were developed as part of the Government’s Healthy Ageing Challenge, initially a pilot project driven by a consortium of partners; ukactive, Good Boost, Orthopaedic Research UK, ESCAPE-pain and Arthritis Action. After a successful two-year pilot in which 30 leisure centres in the Parkwood Leisure group became MSK Community Hubs Parkwood Leisure, in partnership with Legacy Leisure, Lex Leisure, Creating Active Futures and 1Life, is now actively growing sites and training MSK leads to manage the programmes.

Managing Director of Parkwood Leisure, Glen Hall said: “It’s not often that you get to be involved in a pilot project that has such a demonstrable impact, the numbers speak for themselves with an estimated £981k of social value generated during our 10-month live pilot period across 30 of our sites. Leisure centres have always been central to UK communities and it made absolute sense to work together with our partners to utilise our skills and infrastructure to positively impact people’s health and play a role in relieving pressure on the NHS. Parkwood Leisure continues to expand the MSK Hubs and we have plans to continue on this path and open more hubs in the future.”

Speaking about the Good Boost Flagship Site status, Suzanne Gabb, COO at Good Boost said: “This recognition is a testament to the dedication of Parkwood’s leisure centre teams who are committed to making a real difference in the lives of those with MSK and long-term health conditions. We are incredibly proud to celebrate their achievements and the positive impact they have on their communities.”

Access to the programme can either be self-referred or by a health practitioner, via a simple online form. Parkwood MSK hubs can be found at leisurecentre.com/msk, along with further details on the programme.