Thursday 21 November 2024 marked the 20th Year of the Greenwich ‘Healthwise’ service - one of the most important programmes to tackle health inequality in the borough.

The scheme enhances community health and wellbeing by referring participants directly from primary NHS settings to physical activity programmes in GLL operated leisure centres to manage weight, increase mobility, reduce pain and make everyday tasks easier. 

To mark the occasion, a free Health Fair took place at Waterfront Leisure Centre on 21 November, opened by the Mayor for Greenwich Cllr Jit Ranabhat. Also in attendance were ageUK’s Peter Dutton, Activation Manager for the We Are Undefeatable campaign, representatives of Greenwich Council’s Public Health Team and senior personnel from charitable social enterprise GLL which operates the borough’s leisure services in partnership with the Council.

The event offered an opportunity for networking and taking part in interactive workshops promoting mental and physical wellbeing.

The event took place during Self-Care Week which is a national awareness week that focuses on embedding support for self-care across communities, families and generations for healthier, happier lives.  

Also attending were successful participants of the Healthwise programme, whose lives had been transformed through taking part ion prescribed physical activity to improve their longstanding health conditions.

Carol, 71, from Greenwich was referred to the Healthwise team in 2024 following a diagnosis of COPD. She started her rehabilitation in the Pulmonary community class at her local leisure centre before moving onto the next phase of her rehabilitation with Healthwise. Following a programme of tailored activities, her fitness improved, and she was able to do household chores that she previously found difficult.

Carol says: “The classes have given me a much more positive outlook. I could not stand for more than few minutes but I can now stand for 20 minutes, which is long enough for me to do the washing up, cook and wait for a bus. The programme has really made a difference to my daily life and given me back my independence.”
 
Improving people’s quality of life also reduces the burden on the NHS – saving vital resources on reactive treatments, drugs and surgeries. Working with a preventative health focus, Healthwise was launched in the Royal Borough of Greenwich and through the success of the programme has been replicated in over 40 other areas where GLL operate leisure centres across the UK under the ‘Better’ brand. 
 
The service in Greenwich delivers a range of leisure centre-based, health interventions ranging from Physical Activity on Referral (PARS), Adult Weight Management, Family Weight Management for children and young people (Xplore) and specialist rehabilitation pathways for those residents with cardiac, cancer, stroke, and pulmonary conditions. 

Peter Dutton of ageUK said: “Up to 20 million people in England are living with one or more long term health conditions and are twice as likely to be inactive, widening health inequalities in areas of high deprivation.
 
“Getting millions of people moving more is key – either building movement into daily life, or accessing trusted community-based physical activity programmes such as Greenwich Leisure Limited’s Healthwise Programme which helps those in pain, fatigue or with mobility challenges to make their first step on their physical activity journey.
 
“The sheer numbers of people completing the programme are testament to the continual impact that Healthwise has achieved in supporting the health and wellbeing of the Borough’s residents, and its contribution to the local health and social care system.”
 
Joe Rham, GLL's Director of Customer & Communities said: “Healthwise started in Greenwich and celebrating the 20th anniversary of the service is a significant milestone.

“During this time we have directly impacted over 30,000 people for the better, helping people enjoy happier, healthier lives.

“It’s an example of the great partnership between GLL, the NHS and Greenwich Council – one that has been replicated successfully across the UK.”

Jit Ranabhat, Mayor of the Royal Borough of Greenwich said: “I was honoured to celebrate 20 years of GLL Healthwise in Royal Greenwich, an initiative which ensures people's health supports them in living their best life.

We’re proud to be part of a scheme which utilises the borough’s fantastic leisure centres to improve the quality of life and health of our residents.

For more information, email:  healthwise.greenwich@gll.org

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