Information for Healthcare Professionals
Inactivity is seriously damaging our population's health. Evidence suggests it contributes to 1 in 6 UK deaths (equal to smoking) and 40% of all long-term conditions. All four Chief Medical Officers of the UK nations endorse regular physical activity to prevent disease, manage existing long term conditions and improve quality of life. The widespread benefits of physical activity result not only from physical reconditioning, reducing inflammation, and boosting immune system function but by making new friends, learning new skills and bringing back self-esteem.
As healthcare professionals, you can help to stem the tide of inactivity and disease by having brief physical activity conversations with your patients. Evidence shows that healthcare professionals are a credible source of physical activity information and 1 in 4 people say they would be more active if advised by a doctor or nurse. It's important to frame the conversation around what would appeal to patients as individuals and how it can support their specific conditions or symptoms.
There are many other ways to educate yourselves and your patients about physical activity such as the resources we have compiled below:
- 'Moving Healthcare Professionals Programme' is another fantastic asset, which provides e-learning modules and an online 'Moving Medicine' resource to help you fit your Physical Activity conversations into your time pressured consultations, no matter how brief.
- If you are looking for something more interactive, Public Health England (PHE) have partnered with Sport England to provide the nationwide Physical Activity Clinical Champion project. This is a free physical activity educational workshop, peer-led by a PHE Physical Activity Clinical Champion – proven to enhance knowledge and confidence of healthcare professionals to deliver the Chief Medical Officers' physical activity guidelines as brief advice. To find out more or to book a session contact: physicalactivity@phe.gov.uk
"The benefits of staying active and exercise on physical and mental health are enormous. Access and finding the activities, have so far not been easy. The Moving More website makes it easy, offering the 'one-stop shop' that enables people to find what they would enjoy doing and register to start doing that activity, on a single site. It includes everything from activities for babies to activities from hospices and care homes. Access for those providing activities, has been streamlined, allowing a provider to be represented on the site within hours of registering. That makes Moving More all encompassing, from offering Tai-Chi in a village hall to athletics in large sports centres."
- Dr Pani Sissou Director of HertsOne GP Federation.
Downloadable Resources
We want you to have all of the tools you need to engage your patients with physical activity.
We've curated the best downloadable resources for a variety of health conditions so that you can find exactly what you need for each of your patients easily.
We Are Undefeatable in Hertfordshire
Developed by 15 leading health and social care charities and backed by expertise, insight and significant National Lottery funding from Sport England. The movement's purpose is to support and encourage finding ways to be active that work for you and your health condition.
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