● Good Boost and Nuffield Healthhave partnered with the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames Public Health team andKingston Education Centre (part of Kingston GP Chambers) to launchfree-to-access community aqua rehab classes for local residents diagnosed with a Musculoskeletal condition.
● The programme will help improve symptoms of jointpain and chronic pain conditions, such as arthritis and back pain, with a focus on supporting people living indeprived areas of the borough, as well as people aged 60+ from ethnic minority groups. People from these groups have a higher chance of living with more than one long term healthcondition as well as a higher chance that their condition will becomesevere.
● There are approximately 63k peoplein Kingston-upon-Thames living with these conditions and 20 million people across the UK, with anestimated national cost to the NHS of £5bn a year
As part of a consortium with Kingston Public Health andKingston GP Chambers, Good Boost, a social enterprise has partnered with Nuffield Health, the UK’s largest healthcare charity, to launch a new, free-to-access Aqua Rehabilitation Programme to support those living with joint conditions and chronic pain in the Royal Borough of Kingston-upon-Thames.
The programme will aim to increase local access to supported self-management options for therapeutic exercise and peer-support for underserved communities to address health inequalities.
Victoria, Aqua Wellbeing Participant: “being in the pool to do exercise means nothing hurts…. I always feel good and energised afterwards”
Vina, Aqua Wellbeing Participant: “I just love it, it’s making a big difference to my knee, it’s exercising without pain and the flexibility is better, my confidence is better”
Based on GoodBoost’s award-winning Artificial Intelligence technology, the programme provides tailored aqua rehab for participants in a supportive community setting. Participants will answer questions relating to their condition and mobility onto a Good Boost tablet computer. This then uses artificial intelligence (AI) to create a personalised exercise plan to help manage pain and increase mobility. As a participant progresses through the programme, the AI technology will continually develop an individually-tailored aqua rehab plan.
Each aqua wellbeing course lasts for12-weeks and there are 80 free places between April and December 2023. Local residents diagnosed with a musculoskeletal condition can apply to join a course by submitting a form through this link; or by typing in to any web browser on the internet: tiny.cc/kingstonaqua. Priority will be given to people who live in Norbiton, as well as people aged 60+ from ethnic minority groups.
For the first six weeks of the programme, classes will be managed by a Nuffield Health Rehabilitation Specialist, providing a holistic approach to rehabilitation through both physical and mental well-being support. Once completed, each participant will then progress to 6-weeks of peer-led group sessions. Local residents also have the option to join virtual support at-home by downloading the Good Boost app on their personal device and joining the ‘Kingston Better Bones’ group, which is run by Kingston Council's Public Health department.
The design of the programme is similar to the Nuffield Health Charity’s established free-to-access 12- week Joint Pain Programme, which has helped over 5,000 people living with chronic joint pain in 2022.
Dr. Davina Deniszczyc, Medical Director, Nuffield Health commented: “We’re proud to be part of such an important, free-to-access programme to provide much needed health and support to those suffering with these long-term conditions. At Nuffield Health, we’re dedicated to improving health inequalities by supporting and offering rehabilitation programmes which are accessible to all. The fitness industry plays an incredibly important role in supporting health needs, from prevention through to treatment, and this programme is another example of how local community initiatives can help to tackle nationwide issues.”
Nimalini Ajith, Physiotherapist, Public Health, Kingston Council commented: “It is great that Nuffield has opened its doors for people with highest need. It is a great opportunity for Kingston residents who want to self manage their musculoskeletal conditions.Exercising in the water is easier for clients who struggle with land based exercises and after the 12 weeks, these clients may be able to move on to doing more land based activities.”
Nick Cornish, Manager Kingston Education Centre (KingstonGP Chambers): “The Aqua rehab programme is an entirely new learning opportunity for our physiotherapy students and a valuable and very well-received addition to their placement experience. We are delighted to partner in this innovative and life improving initiative.”
Ben Wilkins, CEO of Good Boost commented: “GoodBoost’s mission is to create accessible and affordable supported self-management services for people living withmusculoskeletal conditions. We createtangible, in-person services in community spaces with a focus on supporting people with higher risk ofhealth inequalities. We’re incredibly proud to be part of this multi-partnerproject that demonstrates what ispossible, when the health system, the third sector and community cometogether to create demand-led solutionswhich have been informed by local residents: to have access to hydrotherapy and therapeutic aquaticservices.”
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