Keep active (professional)
Patients should be encouraged to work towards UK guidelines by incorporating physical activity into their daily lives and reducing inactivity. The health care setting can be crucial for health promotion, including prescribing physical activity in both primary and secondary care for the prevention of non-communicable diseases.
Key messages
Health care professionals can actively promote physical activity and should routinely ask patients and service users about their levels, giving brief advice based on whether they are meeting Chief Medical Officer (CMO) guidelines.
According to self-report measures, 1 in 4 adults do not meet UK guidelines for physical activity.
Infographics explaining the physical activity needed for general health benefits at different life stages.
Use the Moving More Activity Finder to find local activities.
Exercise Referral Scheme
The Exercise Referral Scheme allows inactive individuals with established medical conditions the opportunity to become active in a safe and friendly environment. Suitably qualified exercise professionals support and encourage patients to have a more active healthy lifestyle.
Herts Sports and Physical Activity Partnership (HSP) have developed a webpage with all the information you need on all the Exercise Referral schemes available across Hertfordshire.
Physical activity and mental health
Togetherall is a safe, online community with useful self-help resources such as the ‘Get Physical’ article with tips on how to strengthen your willpower to get active.
Evidence based: Why invest in mental health and how physical activity helps.
Inclusive Sport
Information on a wide variety of sports activities for people with disabilities
Herts Inclusive Sports Initiative is a Hertfordshire based charity that can award financial grants and bursaries to sports clubs, groups and individuals who work with or provide activities for people with a disability.
Inclusive Sportswear Charter & Guidance aims to increase participation and enjoyment by removing the barriers created by non-inclusive kits and practice.
Active Practice Charter
Sign up to the Active Practice Charter and join the national and local network of practices making positive changes to boost staff and patient wellbeing.
Training
- MECC Avatar platform The aim of a MECC approach is to deliver brief advice and signposting so children and young people know where to go to get further support and information for lifestyle issues and health behaviours.
- The We are Undefeatable in Hertfordshire web page has information, resources and links to training around getting active with specific long term health conditions.
- Live Longer Better in Hertfordshire Champions training aims to empower professionals and volunteers supporting older adults to facilitate discussion and promote the importance of enablement, activity and to Live Longer Better.
- This Mum Moves - free e-learning module - endorsed by the Active Pregnancy Foundation, this online training raises awareness of the current national physical activity guidelines for pregnant and postnatal women.
Other useful information
The Herts Sports and Physical Activity Partnership, better known as HSP, represent a range of countrywide partners who manage and coordinate a range of sports, physical activity and health related projects.
Apply to run a Holiday Activities and Food programme
For leisure and physical activity providers to upload their sessions to the Moving More Activity Finder.
Live Longer Better in Hertfordshire aim to reduce the need for health and social care through their network of partners and support people who would benefit in overcoming the obstacles to increased social, mental and physical activity
To support patients in becoming active, GPs and other Healthcare Professionals, can access the free Physical Activity Clinical Champions (PACC) training.
Sport London offer training for Social Prescribers/Link Workers to upskill workers around sport and physical activity.
These are offered by HSP, for more details on the Active Practice Charter, PACC and Sport London training please contact hsphealth@herts.ac.uk .
See how HSP are tackling inequalities funding in their short video