Active Medicine Programme

"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”

Progress Highlights

First 18 months

1. We've delivered 'Helping People Become More Active' Workshops to around 400 front-line voluntary and community sector (VCS) and council roles
2. More than 270 health and social care staff have been trained through Thames Valley wide PHE Physical Activity in Clinical Care (Clinical Champions) Training
3. We've delivered Motivational Interviewing & Physical Activity Courses (Get Berkshire Active) or jointly with Oxfordshire CCG to around 40 people
4. We've supported nearly 100 social prescribers through various training options
5. We've launched our online learning hubs to raise awareness of all the existing free training and support available around physical activity for health and social care workforces, both locally and nationally

You can find out more about all of the training and workshop options on our Learning Hubs for Get Berkshire Active, Leap, and Active Oxfordshire.

Here's a snapshot of feedback ...

The Rationale

Physical inactivity is a major risk factor for mortality and non-communicable diseases, accounting for around 1 in 6 deaths in the UK. Whilst the CMO advises adults achieve at least 150 minutes of moderate physical activity each week, around 1 in 3 men and 1 in 2 women do not reach those guidelines.

There is a strong evidence base for the promotion of physical activity by healthcare professionals to create behaviour change in patients, whether that is through brief or very brief advice, or longer interventions. Ultimately, evidence shows that people are more likely to undertake physical activity if advised by a healthcare professional.

While most people working in health and social care roles have both the opportunity and motivation to encourage physical activity in some form, due to a lack of training and support (capability), these conversations are not happening as much as they could be.

The Aim

Our BOB Collaboration

The Active Medicine Programme is led by the three Active Partnerships in collaboration with:

• Public Health England (PHE) South East*
• Health Education England (HEE) Thames Valley*
• Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, and Berkshire West HEE Training Hubs
• Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) in Oxfordshire*, Buckinghamshire*, and Berkshire West
• Public Health Council Teams in Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire*, West Berkshire, Reading, & Wokingham*
• District Councils in Oxford City, Cherwell, West Ox, South Ox, and Vale of White Horse
• NHS Trusts – Oxford University Hospitals, Oxford Health, Buckinghamshire Healthcare Trust, Royal Berkshire Foundation Trust, Berkshire Healthcare Trust

*Active Medicine Programme Steering Group Members

From April 2021 the programme will move to also support Milton Keynes and Berkshire East workforces in addition to BOB to cover the Thames Valley footprint

Our Plan

The AMP is designed deliver through two strands:

1. Make connections within the system: Raise awareness of relevant training, resources, and support already available from national and local partners and implement national programmes locally including Moving Healthcare Professionals (PHE training, Moving Medicine, & E-learning) and Making Every Contact Count

2. Deliver where there are gaps: Provide learning opportunities for physical activity and behaviour change where local gaps and need have been identified

Timeline

Evaluation

We're sharing the learning as we go with Sport England, Active Partnership Network and other partners.

The programme is being formally evaluated by an external partner (Press Red) and will be completed after the initial 2-year period (September 2021).

To find out more please contact the Active Medicine Programme Manager

Casey Dunlop

Active Medicine Programme Manager

Email

casey.dunlop@getberkshireactive.org

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