GP’s & Healthcare Professionals

Summary of Physical Activity Training and Resources for Healthcare Professionals

Around 1 in 3 men and half of women are not achieving recommended levels of activity for good health, with people with long term conditions twice as likely to be amongst the least active. Physical activity is incorporated across NICE clinical guidance, with evidence suggesting 1 in 4 people would be more active if advised by a GP or nurse.

However, 70-80% of GPs do not speak about the benefits of physical activity to patients. This can be associated with knowledge, skills and confidence gaps across HCPs.

The following resources, training and guidance provide the opportunity to:

• Access evidence-based resources proven to increase knowledge and confidence, and support clinical practice in line with guidance (e.g. NICE)
• Improve management and care of patients with long-term conditions such as. CVD, type 2 diabetes, depression, MSK issues, some cancers).
• Help reduce service demand and costs i.e. the ~£0.9bn annual cost to the NHS associated with insufficient physical activity

*Information for GP practices and other healthcare professionals*

 

Think Active is working to support GP practices and other healthcare professionals to promote the benefits of physical activity and participation in exercise to improve physical and mental well being across Coventry, Solihull & Warwickshire.

Summary of Physical Activity Training and Resources for Healthcare Professionals

The below is a summary of training, resources and campaigns, which can support Healthcare Professionals to increase their knowledge and skills to have conversations with patients about being more active.    The majority of the resources form part of the Moving Healthcare Professionals Programme lead by Sport England and The Office Health Improvement and Disparities (formally Public Health England).  Detailed information is available here https://www.sportengland.org/campaigns-and-our-work/moving-healthcare-professionals?section=introduction

Consensus Statement: It’s safer for people with long term health conditions to be physically active

The Faculty of Sport and Exercise Medicine UK, Sport England, Office Health Improvement and Disparities (formerly Public Health England) and the Royal College of General Practitioner’s have collaborated to enable the development of clear statements, through expert consensus, about the medical risks of physical activity for all adults, irrespective of age, living with one or more long term conditions for healthcare professionals to use to support their clinical practice. The full consensus statement along with summary infographics and symptom specific information are available here: https://movingmedicine.ac.uk/riskconsensus/

Training and Resources

Physical Activity Clinical Champions Training

One to three-hour online session for heath care professionals delivered by PHE’s national network of physical activity clinical champions, made up of GPs, nurses, midwives and allied healthcare professionals.   To arrange a course email: physicalactivity@phe.gov.uk

Physical Activity & Health e learning

Provided by PHE through the Health Education England’s e-LfH portal , 11 e learning modules aimed at GPs, nurses and other healthcare professionals to champion the benefits of physical activity with patients.

#WeThinkActive Workshop
A short 50minute workshop, delivered by Think Active, to support all staff to start thinking about how they can be more active and encourage patients to be more active. Ideal for incorporating in a team meeting. Contact info@thinkactive.org for details

Moving Medicine
Provides online step-by-step guides about how to have conversations about physical activity with patients who have different conditions, based on the time you have available.  There are also resources you can download to display in your practice. For more information visit: http://movingmedicine.ac.uk/

This Mum Moves
Provides healthcare professionals with access to resources and training to facilitate the delivery of clear, consistent messages regarding being physically active for pregnant women and new mothers. For more information visit:  https://thismummoves.co.uk/healthcare-professional/

Chief Medical Officer Physical Activity Infographics
Summarise the 2019 physical activity guidelines, to view the infographics visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/physical-activity-guidelines

GP Practices and Hospitals

Physical Activity and Lifestyle Toolkit
Ideas and resources to help healthcare professionals raise awareness and promote physical activity with staff and patients, supporting practices towards meeting the Active Practice Charter criteria. https://www.rcgp.org.uk/clinical-and-research/resources/toolkits/physical-activity-and-lifestyle.aspx

Active Practice Charter
Inspires and celebrates GP practices that are taking steps to increase activity in their patients and staff. For more information visit: https://r1.dotdigital-pages.com/p/49LX-5IR/active-practice-charter.

Calrendon Lodge Medical Practice (Case Study)
Clarendon Lodge Medical Practice has become one of the first surgeries to become a RCGP Active Practice by committing to reduce sedentary behaviour and increasing physical activity amongst staff and patients.
To see how they achieved their Active Practice Status, have a read through their case study: RCGP Active Practice- Clarendon Lodge

Active Hospitals
Aims to change the physical activity culture within hospitals to encourage patients and staff to move more.  A tool kit is available at https://movingmedicine.ac.uk/active-hospitals/

National Campaigns/Resources for patients

We Are Undefeatable Campaign
Inspires and support people with long-term health conditions to build physical activity into their lives. The campaign provides information, resources & guidance on:

• Ways to Move– ideas and resources to help those with long term health conditions find the right activity for them.
• Getting started- contains top tips and resources to help individuals become physically active. 
• Stories– inspiration form  people with health conditions have found ways to get moving.

For more information & to sign up to the Supporters Hub visit: https://www.weareundefeatable.co.uk/

This Girl Can
Activity Finder, Stories and resources to inspire women and girls to get active.  For more information & to access resources through the supporter hub visit https://www.thisgirlcan.co.uk/

Join the Movement
National campaign from Sport England offering, tips, advice and guidance on how to keep or get active. https://www.sportengland.org/jointhemovement

Active Pregnancy Foundation
Activity specific guides to support for pregnant women and new mums including swimming, dancing, cycling, running, walking etc

https://www.activepregnancyfoundation.org/findyouractive

This Mum Moves
Advice for mums and mums to be, https://thismummoves.co.uk/mum-or-mum-to-be/

Supporting patients to be active

Fitter Futures Warwickshire
A countywide 12-week personalised physical activity/healthy lifestyle programme delivered by qualified fitness instructors in leisure centres. Suitable for those with specific health conditions such as a BMI of 30+, hypertension, Type 1 and 2 diabetes.
For more information visit: https://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/fitter-futures

Get Set to Go
A programme aimed at improving the quality of life for anyone with a mental health problem through access to sport and physical activity in the local community based in Stratford-upon-Avon, Leamington Spa & Rugby.
For more information visit: https://springfieldmind.org.uk/services/get-set-to-go

Healthy Ageing

Advice and information for your patients to stay happy, healthy and independent. www.warwickshire.gov.uk/healthy-ageing

Health & Wellbeing
Solihull Active have collated opportunities to help prevent and manage various health conditions as well as ideas and tips to help keep individuals active at home.
For more information visit: https://www.solihullactive.co.uk/health-wellbeing/

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