What’s this project all about?
This activity is part of Healthy Working Life, a joint programme from the West Yorkshire Integrated Care Board and West Yorkshire Combined Authority.
More than 100,000 people in West Yorkshire are unable to work because of their health conditions, with many more struggling to remain in employment due to poor health. Long-term conditions such as cardiovascular disease, stroke, respiratory illness and Long COVID place increasing pressure on health services and can significantly affect people's independence, wellbeing and ability to work.
Recognising the need for a different approach, NHS West Yorkshire Integrated Care Board (ICB), working with health and care providers, including voluntary sector partners across the region, introduced the digital therapeutic platform KiActiv through the Health and Growth Accelerator Programme (Healthy Working Life). The initiative was designed to improve access to rehabilitation to help people better manage their health and reduce the impact of long-term conditions on everyday life.
A personalised approach
Cardiovascular disease remains one of the biggest contributors in people being absent from work or unable to work due to ill health. One in four stroke survivors is of working age, while many people with chronic respiratory conditions are forced to reduce their working hours or leave employment altogether. These challenges highlighted the need for a more accessible and sustainable rehabilitation model that could support people beyond traditional clinical settings.
KiActiv combines personalised technology, behavioural science and dedicated mentor support to help people increase their physical activity, improve confidence and develop long-term self-management skills. Rather than focusing solely on prescribed exercise programmes, the platform recognises all meaningful daily movement as therapeutic, enabling people to build activity into their lives in ways that work for them.
A key feature of the programme is the combination of technology with personalised human support. During the 12-week intervention, participants receive guidance from dedicated KiActiv mentors who help them understand their activity data, set realistic goals and build confidence in managing their health. The programme was also designed with accessibility in mind, providing technology free of charge, simple and intuitive interfaces, telephone-based mentoring, multilingual support and British Sign Language provision where required.
The programme was implemented across a range of rehabilitation pathways, including cardiac rehabilitation, heart failure, stroke, pulmonary rehabilitation, respiratory conditions and Long COVID. Patients are introduced to KiActiv through their clinical teams and can access the programme alongside existing services, while waiting for rehabilitation or after completing traditional programmes. This flexibility allows KiActiv to complement existing pathways and extend support into people's homes and communities.
Implementation was supported by organisations across the West Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership, with Airedale NHS Foundation Trust acting as lead provider. Patients and clinicians were involved in shaping the programme to ensure it reflected local needs and worked effectively within existing services.
Early results
Early results have been encouraging. To date, 231 patients have been referred through the programme, with 209 starting the intervention. More than 80% of participants reported living with multiple health conditions, over 40% were living with obesity and more than a quarter came from some of the most deprived communities in the region, demonstrating the programme's ability to reach those most likely to experience poorer health outcomes.
Among those completing the programme, participants recorded an average increase of more than 42 minutes of non-sedentary activity each day, alongside an additional 20 minutes of moderate-intensity activity. Significant improvements have also been reported in quality of life, confidence in self-managing health, mental wellbeing and functional ability.
What do people think?
The programme has also delivered benefits for services. Clinicians report that patients remain more engaged between appointments, supporting more personalised conversations about progress and behaviour change while helping services increase capacity without major investment in additional infrastructure or workforce.
Patient feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. One participant commented:
“The band and the programme has made me realise my priorities and understand myself a lot more. I feel better in myself and constantly want to improve.”
Next steps
Looking ahead, NHS West Yorkshire ICB plans to continue embedding KiActiv within routine care pathways, exploring opportunities to support additional long-term condition groups and supporting colleagues in the health and care workforce who may benefit from the programme for their continued wellbeing in work. The programme has demonstrated that combining digital technology with personalised human support can empower people to take greater control of their health, improve rehabilitation outcomes and help more people stay active, independent and in work.
You can also read the digital rehabilitation helping West Yorkshire residents stay well, independent and in work as a PDF.