We are focused on supporting healthcare professionals across Greater Manchester to increase their knowledge and confidence in incorporating physical activity within routine care to provide better patient outcomes.
There are over 650,000 healthcare professionals in the country, each estimated to see nearly half a million patients during their career. They’re considered a trusted source of advice, so what they say about physical activity, and how they raise it as a topic, could have a big impact on activity levels.
Yet nearly three quarters of healthcare professionals don't speak about the benefits of physical activity to their patients because of either a lack of knowledge, skills or confidence, with 80% reporting being unfamiliar with the national physical activity guidelines.
We are focused on supporting healthcare professionals across Greater Manchester to increase their knowledge and confidence in incorporating physical activity within routine care to provide better patient outcomes.
“If physical activity were a drug, we would refer to it as a miracle cure, due to the great many illnesses it can prevent and help treat.” UK Chief Medical Officers Physical Activity Guidelines, 2019
Regular physical activity offers a range of physical health, mental health, and social benefits, many of which are increasing in prevalence for individuals, communities and society. These include:
With the impact of Covid-19, an increasing number of people living with and managing long-term conditions and the strong evidence base for physical activity as a prevention and treatment tool, it is important that healthcare professionals have the knowledge, skills and confidence to have physical activity-related conversations with patients.
Embedding physical activity into long-established healthcare practices can feel daunting. But many healthcare professionals are already embedding physical activity into how they work.
Alvanley Family Practice in Stockport worked together with patients to improve the health and wellbeing of people living within the local community, not just their patients. Watch the video below to learn more about their story.
The Moving Healthcare Professionals programme provides free, online peer-to-peer group training and practical resources to support healthcare professionals to provide brief physical activity advice for the management and prevention of common conditions such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease and some cancers.
The toolkit has been designed by the RCGP in partnership with Sport England, to be used by primary care professionals in the UK. Any health professional concerned about their own activity levels may find the toolkit useful. The toolkit is designed to have something for all clinicians.
The Active Practice Charter is fun, easy way to make some simple but impactful changes in GP Practice that will demonstrate to your patients and staff that you mean it when you say that movement is the best medicine.
A range of digital resources to take the first steps towards making positive, healthier choices.