Active Care Group announces landmark development of new private specialist rehabilitation hospital in Stoke Mandeville

• Landmark development of the new multimillion-pound Active Neuro Stoke Mandeville Private Rehabilitation Hospital will commence following an agreement with WheelPower.
• Due to open in Summer 2027, the new hospital will set a new benchmark in specialist spinal and neurological rehabilitation for patients with a spinal or neurological injury.

STOKE MANDEVILLE, England, July 1, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Active Care Group, the UK's leading provider of complex care, and charity partner WheelPower have today announced an agreement that will enable the development of the new Active Neuro Stoke Mandeville Private Rehabilitation Hospital – a significant investment in the future of specialist spinal and neurological rehabilitation.

Located next to Stoke Mandeville's National Spinal Injuries Centre, the new 52-bed Active Neuro Stoke Mandeville Private Rehabilitation Hospital will treat approximately 250 patients a year, offering timely access to specialist spinal and neurological rehabilitation. The hospital will be developed on an existing site at Stoke Mandeville Stadium, which is owned by the charity.

The development represents a major milestone for Active Neuro and Active Care Group, creating a best-in-class specialist rehabilitation environment at one of the UK's most significant locations for spinal injury care, disability sport and rehabilitation. By combining expert multidisciplinary care, cutting-edge rehabilitation technology and high-quality therapeutic spaces, the hospital will set a new benchmark for patient experience, recovery and long-term outcomes.

The new hospital will be designed around the needs of patients and families with specialist clinical, therapeutic and communal spaces that support rehabilitation at every stage of recovery, including:

• State-of-the-art rehabilitation environments designed for spinal and neurological recovery, including robotic gait and arm training, virtual-reality balance systems, augmented-reality therapy and neuromuscular stimulation.
• High-quality inpatient and day therapy areas designed to support intensive, multidisciplinary rehabilitation.
• Two technology-enabled, AI-integrated trial and step-down flats, where patients can safely practice daily activities before returning home.
• A dedicated ventilated high-dependency unit (HDU) to support patients with complex respiratory and medical needs.
• A specialist hydrotherapy pool designed to support accessible, patient-centred rehabilitation for patients with spinal injuries and clients with disabilities. 
• Purpose-built communal and therapeutic spaces designed to enhance recovery, participation and patient experience, including a cinema room, outdoor wellbeing spaces and other areas that support rehabilitation beyond the clinical setting.
• Family accommodation to support recovery, participation and reintegration.
• A purpose-built AI learning, education and conference hub aimed at advancing research, innovation and quality in rehabilitation treatment and care.

The hospital is expected to create numerous skilled jobs across clinical, therapy, nursing, operational and support roles, bringing investment into the local community and helping to grow specialist rehabilitation capability in the UK.

Keith Browner, Chief Executive Officer, Active Care Group, said: "The new Active Neuro Stoke Mandeville Private Rehabilitation Hospital is a landmark investment in the future of specialist spinal and neurological rehabilitation. It will offer a gold standard in rehabilitation care, bringing together world-class specialists and facilities with advanced rehabilitation technologies and techniques that are rarely available together in one rehabilitation setting.

"This investment reflects our long-term commitment to transforming outcomes for people recovering from life-changing injuries, ensuring they can access the very best rehabilitation care to make the fullest possible recovery.

"We are proud to be working with WheelPower at Stoke Mandeville, and contributing to the area's proud heritage in rehabilitation."

More than 105,000 people in the UK are living with a spinal cord injury, with around 4,700 people injured or diagnosed each year.^[i] For many people, specialist rehabilitation is a critical part of rebuilding their lives after injury, helping them adapt, recover and regain as much independence as possible.

Rob Wilson, Chairman of WheelPower, said: "I am delighted that we are able to bring rehabilitation services back to our site. It is something that we set out in our five-year strategic plan as it will make such a difference – particularly as we know that a spinal cord injury can have such a profound impact on every part of a person's life, affecting mobility, independence, confidence and overall quality of life. It was also part of the original vision of our founder, Sir Ludwig Guttmann.

"Rehabilitation services, coupled with an established route into sport, can make a profound difference to the thousands of people each year who experience life-changing spinal injuries and need access to specialist, ongoing services to help them recover and rebuild their lives. We will now have all these important services on one site.

"WheelPower is proud to facilitate and support the development of this new hospital in Stoke Mandeville, helping more people access the treatment, rehabilitation and the support they need to achieve the fullest possible recovery and to regain their independence."

About Active Care Group

Active Care Group (ACG) is the UK's pioneering provider of complex care, with more than 30 years of multi-award-winning experience supporting people with complex rehabilitation and care needs.

With over 5,000 staff, ACG delivers a fully integrated care pathway, combining clinical expertise, therapeutic support and rehabilitation across specialist hospitals, neurological rehabilitation centres, residential services, supported living, case management, expert witness services and care in the home.

ACG offers the UK's most complete rehabilitation and care pathway, supporting individuals from hospital-level intensive rehabilitation through to clinically led care in the home within a single organisation. The Group supports people with a broad range of complex conditions, including acquired brain injury, spinal cord injury, stroke, other neurological conditions, epilepsy, mental health conditions, learning disabilities, autism and respiratory needs.

About Active Neuro

Active Neuro, part of Active Care Group, combines innovative technology, clinical expertise and state-of-the-art therapeutic environments to deliver specialist rehabilitation for people with spinal cord injuries, stroke, brain injuries and other neurological conditions, helping them rebuild independence and transform their lives.

In June 2026, Active Neuro was named Specialist Services Provider of the Year at the HealthInvestor Awards 2026, recognising its innovation and excellence in delivering specialist rehabilitation and care.

About WheelPower

WheelPower is the national charity for wheelchair sport in the UK, based at Stoke Mandeville Stadium, the birthplace of the Paralympic Movement. For more than 75 years, WheelPower has been transforming lives through movement, activity and sport, enabling disabled people of all ages to enjoy the physical, mental and social benefits of participation.

Each year, the charity supports thousands of individuals to become more active, build confidence, and improve their health and wellbeing through accessible sport and physical activity.

^[i] Spinal Injuries Association. 2024.