Hospitals should offer spa-like facilities including massages and Zumba classes, say health chiefs
Boss of Public Health England said helping people to unwind and socialise could stop them falling ill
HOSPITALS should offer spa-like facilities where people can have a massage, relax in a steam room or join a Zumba class, health chiefs say.
Duncan Selbie, boss of Public Health England, said helping people to unwind and socialise could stop them falling ill, saving the NHS cash.
The wellness centres would feature swimming pools alongside GP surgeries, MRI scanners and operating theatres.
But last night critics blasted the proposals as “farcical” at a time when trusts are running up huge debts and patients face lengthy waits for a basic bed.
Warrington & Halton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in Cheshire is among the first in the country to draw up plans for a health campus.
Chief executive Mel Pickup called the plans “ambitious”.
She added: “It could be about having a facial in the spa or going to Zumba alongside MRI scans and hip replacements.
“It is redefining what a hospital does. It’s not just being a sickness service.”
Mr Selbie said: “Encouraging people to make changes to their lifestyles is by far the most sustainable way of saving money.”
But Mark Littlewood, of the Institute of Economic Affairs, said: “How facials can be supplied at the expense of the taxpayer is an insult to those who have been denied vital treatments for illnesses such as cancer.”
NHS England declined to comment.
