From Leisure Centres to Active Wellbeing Centres: A Necessary Evolution in Public Health
For decades, leisure centres have played a crucial role in promoting physical activity within communities, offering access to swimming pools, gyms, and group fitness classes. However, as our understanding of health evolves, so must our approach. The modern landscape of public health necessitates more holistic models, ones that integrate physical activity with mental, social and emotional wellbeing. This shift calls for the transformation of services delivery, looking to provide integrated services across a whole host of service providers. In order to provide fully integrated services, the infrastructure of what might be perceived as a ‘traditional leisure centre’ needs reimagining. Ensuring designs are flexible in what they offer to their communities, Active Wellbeing Centres prioritise inclusivity and preventative health measures, facilitating wider programmes and support to where it’s needed most.
The Urgent Need for a Holistic Approach
The Urgent Need for a Holistic Approach
Despite the availability of leisure centres, playing fields and other community activity spaces, a significant proportion of the population remains disengaged from structured exercise. Research indicates that up to 80% of individuals do not regularly utilise local leisure and sports facilities, contributing to rising rates of obesity, type 2 diabetes and other preventable health conditions. Traditional models often cater to a narrow demographic, gym goers, swimmers, and sports enthusiasts, leaving behind those who do not identify as “fit” or who face barriers to participation. The challenge lies in reimagining these spaces to be more accessible and appealing to a broader segment of society. More welcoming, more inviting, more inclusive and more affordable. It isn’t just the built infrastructure either, optimisation around place making and site wide utilisation, ensuring open spaces are as well considered and integrated as possible. Operational improvements, around flexibility of programming, partnering and reduced pricing are considerations too.
Active Wellbeing Centres offer a solution by blending movement, mindfulness and social connection into a more comprehensive and inclusive framework. These centres are designed not only to encourage physical activity but also to foster mental resilience and social wellbeing, some of the critical factors in addressing the root causes of long term health disparities. Integrating leisure services with services from the healthcare sector.
Aligning with National Health Priorities
Aligning with National Health Priorities
The case for Active Wellbeing Centres aligns with national health strategies, such as Sport England’s “Uniting the Movement” strategy, which seeks to reduce inequalities in access to physical activity, particularly in the most deprived areas of the UK. However, while targeted investment from organisations like Sport England is a step in the right direction, it is insufficient to address the systemic issues at play.
Councils across the length and breadth of the country already do so much great work in funding and supporting leisure services. With the devolution White Paper and Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) the potential for improved investment might assist the leisure sector. Efficiencies can be found through aligning ICB and Council funding, establishing a single pooled budget, and provide financial and quality benefits through joint working, improved risk management, and better care closer to home.
One of the most significant barriers to progress is the current healthcare funding model, which prioritises treatment over prevention. The NHS, originally designed as a safety net for those in need of medical care, is increasingly burdened by the rising prevalence of chronic diseases. Yet, due to overwhelming demand, preventative health strategies often take a back seat to immediate crisis management. Integrated Care Boards (ICBs), responsible for funding allocation within the NHS, face immense pressure to focus on acute care rather than long-term health interventions.
The Darzi report, among many observations identified the NHS budget is not being spent where it should be – too great a share is being spent in hospitals, too little in the community, and productivity is too low.
A Call for Systemic Change
A Call for Systemic Change
To drive meaningful change, a fundamental shift in funding priorities is required—one that places prevention at the heart of national healthcare policy. Without such a shift, the financial and social costs of preventable diseases will continue to rise.
There is also a broader issue of financial incentives. The pharmaceutical industry generates billions in profit from the treatment of preventable diseases, such as type 2 diabetes. This raises an important question: could taxation models be restructured to ensure that a greater share of these profits is reinvested into preventative health initiatives? Just as progressive taxation applies to high-income earners, a similar approach could be considered for high profit pharmaceutical companies, redistributing resources towards long term health investments.
Furthermore, political decision making often prioritises short term gains over long-term wellbeing. Election cycles encourage policies that yield immediate and visible results, making it difficult to secure sustained investment in preventative health measures, which may take decades to demonstrate their full impact.
Legislation has proven effective in driving long term change in other policy areas. For instance, the Climate Change Act 2008 established legally binding carbon reduction targets, compelling successive governments to commit to sustainability goals. A similar legislative framework could be introduced for public health, ensuring that preventative health funding is legally protected from short term political pressures. The Health and Care Act 2022 presents an opportunity to mandate sustained investment in community-based preventative health initiatives, such as ‘Uniting the Movement’ strategy and Active Wellbeing Centres.
Investing in the Future of Public Health
Investing in the Future of Public Health
The COVID-19 pandemic underscored the government’s ability to mobilise significant financial resources when faced with an immediate health crisis. Billions were rapidly invested in vaccine development and emergency medical equipment—demonstrating that, when deemed a priority, large scale health investments can be made.
The challenge now is to apply this same urgency and commitment to long term health prevention, ensuring that future generations benefit from a system designed to keep them well, rather than simply treating them once they fall ill.
At DB3, we are proud to be at the forefront of this movement, collaborating with partners and stakeholders to develop innovative Active Wellbeing Centres that integrate physical, mental and social health into community spaces. However, national funding and policy support are essential to scaling this model and embedding it into the UK’s health infrastructure.
A Vision for an Active and Inclusive Future
A Vision for an Active and Inclusive Future
The transition from traditional leisure centres to Active Wellbeing Centres is not merely a passing trend, it’s one element of change in delivery of services that is necessary to evolve the public health strategy. By prioritising inclusivity, prevention, and holistic wellbeing, we can create healthier communities and alleviate the growing burden on the NHS. The question now is not whether we can afford to invest in prevention but whether we can afford not to.
The future of our health service must be active, inclusive, and preventative, and the time to act is now.
Author
Author
Robert Prescott is an Associate Director, based in our London studio, leading our Sports & Leisure team, working with public sector, local authority clients and sporting bodies – including Sport England, Swim England, British Cycling, Archery GB – across the UK. DB3’s Sports & Leisure team are widely acknowledged as one of the leading consultancies in this sector.
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