David Mobbs steps-down as CEO at Nuffield Health

“After 14 extraordinary years as Group Chief Executive of Nuffield Health, I have decided that the time is right for me to step-aside and move on to explore new opportunities.

"I am immensely proud of the achievements of everyone who has helped transform Nuffield Hospitals into Nuffield Health - to become a complete health and wellbeing business. Nuffield Health is now renowned for being a business based on the values of its people, for the quality of service that it delivers, for not accepting the status-quo, and for opening up a whole new health sector in ill-health prevention and wellbeing.

“I am pleased to be handing over a business that is in great shape - we are performing well, we are soundly financed and we have strong leadership at all levels. Our plans in Manchester, our desire to drive new Digital innovations, and the successes we have made to create joined-up-health will open up a myriad of new opportunities which will require new thinking and a long-term commitment from a new Chief Executive."

“As for my own future, my drive is as strong today as it always has been, my passion to innovate in healthcare delivery is undiminished, and I will be seeking new opportunities to make an impact. I have had the privilege of working with amazing people and I would like to thank them all for the trust that that they have placed in me over the past 14 years and for the inspiration they have provided to help me do my best."

“I have been working with Russell Hardy, Chairman, Nuffield Health for the past twelve months to ensure a smooth transition and will step down at the end of the year. Russell will make an announcement about the appointment of a new Chief Executive by the end of this week."

Russell Hardy, Chairman, Nuffield Health commented “I would like to thank David for his many years of outstanding service to Nuffield Health. He has in many ways been a visionary in healthcare provision with the acquisition of the Cannons Gym's business and the consequent drive to provide integrated services through our hospitals and wellbeing centres. On behalf of all of the Board I wish him well for the future”.

David Mobbs - How his vision has transformed Nuffield Health

David Mobbs is a recognised leading thinker in healthcare, taking Nuffield Health in a new and innovative direction that has challenged the traditional healthcare industry. He is regularly invited to contribute to health policy at the highest levels and address the healthcare industry at landmark events. He is also prominent in advancing the case for a modernised charity sector.

David’s passion over the past decade has seen Nuffield Health begin the process of transforming the UK’s healthcare landscape by creating and delivering its own unique vision of “joined-up” health, from prevention to treatment.

Appointed Group Chief Executive in 2003 he has repositioned Nuffield Health from a hospital operator to become the only integrated health and wellbeing business in the UK, offering services that enable the UK health consumer to get healthy and stay healthy. This business now includes 31 hospitals, 77 fitness & wellbeing centres, over 200 on-site employee wellbeing contracts, national physiotherapy and health assessment networks.

In November 2007, Cannons Health & Fitness was acquired, with the vision, now realised, to introduce holistic health and wellbeing offers to public fitness members, with services including physiotherapy, weight management programmes and health assessments. The scale of operations was extended in 2012 through the acquisition of the Greens gym chain and in 2014-15, 9 Virgin Active, 1 LA Fitness and 2 central London gyms, bringing the total number of Fitness & Wellbeing Centres to 77. The opportunity to further integrate pathways of health and wellbeing was a priority in these acquisitions with many of the new centres located close to a Nuffield Health Hospital.

July 2008 heralded the re-brand of Nuffield Hospitals, Proactive Health and Cannons to become Nuffield Health. Integrated fitness, prevention and cure across its different services and facilities under a single brand, governance and management structure became a reality. A merger towards the end of 2010, with the Bladerunner corporate fitness business, established market leadership for Nuffield Health in the growing and dynamic corporate wellbeing section.

For over 50 years Nuffield Health has been taking care of people and through David Mobbs’ leadership, Nuffield Health now offers a wider range of health services than anyone else in the UK. He has transformed Nuffield Health by bringing together private hospitals, clinics, fitness and wellbeing centres, diagnostic units and an extensive range of healthcare services into one complete health service.

David’s drive and innovative thinking has led to Nuffield Health becoming leaders in many areas of healthcare provision. Firmly established as one of Britain’s leading providers of corporate wellbeing solutions, the organisation now looks after the wellbeing of over 60% of the FTSE100 and works with over 1600 business across the UK. Nuffield Health was awarded the Best Provider of Workplace Wellbeing Services 2014 at the annual Health Insurance Awards for the third year running.

As the largest single employer of physiotherapists outside of the NHS, physiotherapy services range from inpatient to outpatient care and managing MSK conditions to more specialist services and delivery models range from hands on care, to new remote telephone based services and class based rehabilitation.

Always pushing the boundaries in health and wellbeing, in 2014 David orchestrated a ground breaking strategic partnership with Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU) to build one of the most modern and technologically advanced independent hospitals and state of the art health systems in central Manchester, due for completion in 2017.

And in 2015, following joint research with think tank 2020health, David acknowledged the need for early intervention to combat the alarming increase in chronic diseases and mental health issues in children, through the Nuffield Health ‘Head of Wellbeing’ school pilot. Fully funded by the organisation, this unique two year pilot will study and evaluate the effects of co-ordinated wellbeing initiatives in a UK secondary school. This pilot has the potential to transform wellbeing in schools.

Last updated Tuesday 22 March 2016

First published on Monday 28 September 2015