Sport England and Royal College of GPs launch Active Practice Charter

Build it and they will get active...

Build it and they will get active...

Sport England and Royal College of GPs (RCGP) launch Active Practice Charter. The aim is to 'inspire and celebrate GP practices that are taking steps to increase activity in their patients and staff'. With one in four people saying they would be more active if it was recommended by a GP or nurse, the charter includes a toolkit that will support time-poor GPs to raise the subject of activity with patients and achieve Active Practice status.

The charter is part of Sport England's Physical Activity and Lifestyle partnership with RCGP, supported by £160,400 of National Lottery funding. It will support around 8,000 GP practices in the UK and aims to help them raise awareness of the simple changes that can be made to improve the physical and mental wellbeing of patients and staff.

With physical inactivity estimated to cost the nation £7.4 billion a year, Sport England chief executive Tim Hollingsworth has welcomed the charter’s introduction. 'Physical activity has a key role to play in helping people manage and improve their health and wellbeing, he said.

'As trusted sources of information, GPs and practice teams have a real opportunity to start discussions that help it become the new normal in their community – for prevention as well as treatment.

Sport England chief executive Tim Hollingsworth will be speaking at Cycle County Active County 2019

'This toolkit will help busy GPs talk to patients about getting active and recommend local opportunities as part of their routine practice.

'We’re delighted to be celebrating those GP practices who are promoting active lifestyles to patients and staff through the Active Practice Charter.'

Research shows that regular physical activity can reduce the risk of coronary heart disease and stroke by as much as 35% and decrease the risk of early death by as much as 30%.

And this charter builds on previous work aiming to boost the nation’s activity levels, including an initiative that sees GP practices encouraged to develop closer links with their local parkrun to become certified ‘parkrun practices’.

GPs and practice teams have a real opportunity to start discussions that help it become the new normal in their community.

However, while many GPs already promote physical activity, barriers to prescribing exercise or discussing physical activity have been identified – for example, GPs not having enough time in consultations to have effective conversations with patients.

'Busy GPs can’t be expected to do everything when it comes to getting the nation more active, but we can play a vital role in starting the conversation with patients,' said Dr Andrew Boyd, RCGP clinical champion for physical activity and lifestyle.

'By making small changes in our own workplace – using standing desks, encouraging active transport for staff, and partnering with local physical activity providers, for example – we can demonstrate to patients that being more active is good for everyone’s physical and mental health.'