Active North Yorkshire is introduced two new wellbeing membership options / Active North Yorkshire
Active North Yorkshire has become the latest leisure operator to offer healthcare services through its memberships, following a partnership with telehealth and digital healthcare provider HealthHero.
For an additional £5 per month, the Active North Yorkshire Plus membership gives access to HealthHero’s four core digital healthcare services – remote GP consultations, physiotherapy, dietitian appointments and mental health support – alongside a library of on-demand workouts from Sh1ft Fitness.
The £5 upgrade also includes 24-hour gym access at Northallerton and Thirsk Leisure and Wellbeing Hubs and an extended 10-day booking window for classes, courts and pitches.
A new remote membership has also been introduced – Active Anytime – which gives access to all the digital healthcare and fitness services for £9.99 per month, without requiring membership of any physical facilities.
The standalone offer is particularly relevant to North Yorkshire’s dispersed rural communities, extending the reach of the council’s wellbeing services to people who may not live close to a leisure centre or who prefer to exercise at home.
The healthcare package includes video and telephone consultations with registered GPs, who can issue prescriptions, private referrals and fit notes where appropriate. GP appointments are available to members of the subscriber’s household.
Mental health support is available 24/7, while the physiotherapy service provides remote assessments and advice on musculoskeletal conditions and recovery from injuries.
The Sh1ft Fitness platform offers workouts lasting between five and 45 minutes across seven formats.
Wider wellbeing strategy
The partnership comes as North Yorkshire Council continues to develop its leisure and wellbeing services under the Active North Yorkshire brand, with an increased emphasis on physical and mental wellbeing.
The organisation currently operates 16 leisure and wellbeing hubs, with further facilities in the former Ryedale and Scarborough areas expected to join the in-house operation in 2027.
The council is also progressing a wider leisure investment strategy, including proposals for approximately £36 million of investment across four sites at Selby, Skipton, Whitby and Pickering, alongside approval for up to £3 million to replace fitness equipment at 12 additional facilities.
North Yorkshire Council’s executive member for leisure, Cllr Simon Myers, said: “We want to make sure our members have access to the support they need to live healthier, more active lives – and that means looking beyond what happens inside our leisure centres.
“We are delighted to be working with HealthHero, and it was clear from the outset that the breadth and quality of the services they deliver, combined with their extensive industry knowledge, will strengthen our ability to provide high-quality services across North Yorkshire.
“This partnership is another way we can support the health and wellbeing of the communities we serve, helping members access expert support conveniently and affordably.”
The agreement adds Active North Yorkshire to a growing roster of leisure operators partnering with HealthHero, including Everyone Active, Parkwood Leisure, Fitness First and Bannatyne.
Different pricing models
Other leisure operators have adopted different pricing models for HealthHero. Everyone Active includes virtual GP access in its You+ wellness membership, which costs around £10 a month more than its Move+ membership at a number of centres, although prices and benefits vary by location.
Bannatyne offers the four HealthHero services through its Platinum upgrade, costing from £9.99 a month, which also includes guest passes and GP cover for children aged up to 16.
Fitness First originally launched its HealthHero offering as a £10 monthly upgrade in 2024, but has since incorporated the service into its wider 360 membership, costing from an additional £30 a month. This includes the four healthcare services for members and their families, alongside other premium benefits.
Parkwood Leisure has taken another approach, incorporating remote GP access into its club memberships at no additional cost.
North Yorkshire’s £5 upgrade is therefore competitively priced, although the different packages are not directly comparable.
