Movement and physical activity play a key role in health creation, and one way GM Moving supports its design into health and care systems in Greater Manchester is through Active Practices.
An Active Practice is a GP practice that is committed to increasing physical activity and reducing sedentary behaviour amongst both its staff as well as their patients.
GM Moving has been supporting the growth of Active Practices in the city region for 3 years, seeing the number of accredited settings rise from 13 to more than 50 in that time.
Our targeted work is also bucking national trends. Many accredited practices located in areas of higher deprivation where, often, health outcomes are worse and physical activity levels lower.
Last year (2024/25), in alignment with the NHS Four Ways Forward, we created a pair of videos to raise awareness of the role physical activity can play in supporting staff to move more, a key part of the Active Practice Charter
We highlighted Trafford health services’ takeover of parkrun and saw how a strength seminar ran by clinical exercise physiologist Dr Ashley Gluchowski was shifting mindsets and influencing the community
We all have a role to play in our movement for movement, it’s been amazing to see the ripples from these initial videos taking shape.
Wigan’s moving
After mapping existing Active Practices against deprivation levels, Wigan was identified by the GM Moving health team as needing more engagement as part of our ambition to tackle inequalities.
Regular communication, relationship-building, and a shared purpose led to a working group being formed between Hindley Primary Care Network (PCN), GM Moving, and Wigan Council to discuss the Active Practice Charter and ways to support staff and patients be more active.
Hindley PCN has since become one of the only PCNs in Greater Manchester to have all their practices Active Practice Charter accredited.
As part of this work the PCN hosted their own parkrun takeover event in July, and inspired LiGA PCN in Wigan to do the same.
Staff and patients were encouraged to get involved through walking, running or volunteering, and across the two events 50 free health checks were completed by Health First.
“Participants showed great support for improving health and wellbeing. The enthusiasm helped make the events a real success and demonstrated the power of coming together”
Hindley PCN
Going from strength to strength
Strength training continues to be a key part of the recently updated Chief Medical Officer guidelines on physical activity, which also highlight how every movement matters.
GM Moving continue to work with Dr Ashley on raising confidence around strength training with Ordsall Health Surgery the latest setting to participate in a training session.
Ordsall Health Surgery have recently become an Active Practice, with the strength session just one of the ways they continue to support staff to be active.
It is extremely positive to see more and more practices showing an interest in offering strength seminars like this as part of their wider work towards Active Practice Charter status.
“The whole team thoroughly enjoyed it. We’re really motivated to maintain this momentum and enthusiasm as it has a positive impact on staff morale and helps us pass that energy onto patients”
Ordsall Health Team
Get in touch
To find out more about Active Practices, visit our website or get in touch with Imogen.
