It was launched to inspire and celebrate GP practices that champion the role of physical activity in improving health and wellbeing. A few GPs in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough have signed up to the Active Practice Charter and Living Sport are supporting practices to provide physical activity training to local GPs and healthcare professionals to increase the awareness, skills, referrals and signposting to local services, whilst encouraging health professionals to promote physical activity to patients at risk of or with health conditions. Over the next 12 months we hope to continue to work with GPs and the ICS to see more GPs sign up and place greater importance on physical activity in health.
Sophie Etheridge – Adaptive Athlete “I have always swum but not always been disabled…” Sophie, a determined and passionate individual, has faced numerous challenges since her cycling accident in 2011.
Once this framework has been published, we encourage partners to consider how they can implement the framework to make a real change for disabled people to access physical activity, sport, and leisure in the way they want, when they want, with no barriers placed on them by society.
In partnership with the South Care Partnership, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough ICS and Cambridge United Community Trust, Living Sport are coordinating a walking football project in South Cambridgeshire running from March 2023.
One in four people say they would be more active if it was recommended by a GP or Nurse.
Demonstrate your commitment to increasing activity and reducing sedentary behaviour in patients and staff.
The Active Practices Charter is an initiative by The Royal College of GPs and Sport England to inspire and celebrate the GP practices that champion the role physical activity can have in improving our health and wellbeing.
By joining, Practices will start making simple changes to improve the physical and mental wellbeing of patients and staff. In addition, signposting to local opportunities to be active such as exercise classes or partnering with nearby activity providers can also support the Charter.
To become an ‘Active Practice’, surgeries will need to demonstrate that they have taken steps to embed active lifestyles into daily lives. These may include:
The registration is easy to complete, and surgeries will receive a certificate recognising their status to display in reception areas.
The RCGP and Sport England have created the Physical Activity and Lifestyle Toolkit to help practices achieve Active Practice status. It includes a range of resources to support GPs and Nurses in prescribing physical activity more readily. This also includes the Moving Medicine resources, guidance for patients, national reports, as well as tips to make your practice an Active Practice.
You may also be interested in becoming a parkrun practice, promoting and signposting staff and patients to your local parkrun.
Please download and share the poster below to help promote The Active Practice Charter.
If you have any questions, get in touch with kev.elger@livingsport.co.uk
Our aim is to improve health, happiness and wellbeing by supporting people to be active, in a meaningful way through programmes, events and influencing policy. Your donations are hugely appreciated and help make this possible.
