Nuffield Health’s recent acquisition of nine Virgin Active health clubs is likely to be followed by several more in future – with a particular focus on London – as the healthcare organisation seeks to expand its footprint, according to deputy chief executive KP Doyle.

He told Health Club Management the Virgin acquisitions are a continuation of the organisation’s push towards extended care pathways, particularly as five of the sites are within five miles of Nuffield hospitals.

Doyle, who stood down as Nuffield Health’s CFO in December, only to return two months later in his new capacity, said the organisation is constantly talking to other operators about health club opportunities. The deal with Virgin Active – of which financial details have not been disclosed – came about as a result of the club overlap caused by

Virgin Active’s 2011 takeover of Esporta, he added.

“We’re always in discussions with other operators about portfolio opportunities – l think everyone in the industry is looking to reshuffle the decks in their favour – and this deal helps us continue our strategy towards a national network of fitness and wellbeing facilities,” said Doyle.

“We’ll certainly be looking at more deals like this, particularly in markets where we’re underrepresented like London, where we want to boost overall integrated wellness offerings, with more diagnostic facilities as well.”

Nuffield Health took over the nine Virgin Active sites last Friday (1 August) and is currently training staff in the organisation’s outlook, as well as assessing which clinical services it will add to the respective sites, with physiotherapists, private GPs, nutritionists and physiologists all likely additions.

The organisation’s experience of previous health club acquisitions, Doyle said, meant it was better placed to enact a swift and smooth handover in this instance.

“We’ve learned that there’s no point delaying things, so we’ve been quick to take control and bring in the Nuffield way of doing things,” he added.

“We aspire to attract all sections of society to these facilities – including those recovering from surgery – but the ‘fit and focused’ customers are still a key demographic, so it’s important that our actions are considered and will cater for all.”

As a result of the Virgin Active acquisitions, Nuffield Health’s overall membership now stands at 325,000, across 74 consumer gyms and 202 corporate fitness and wellbeing sites.

An exclusive interview with Nuffield Health MD Dr Andrew Jones on the organisation’s expansion plans can be read in the May edition of Health Club Management magazine, pp. 34-38.