Skip to main content

Search form

Type your search then hit enter
  • Contact Us
  • Login
  • About usBack
    • About us
    • About Us
    • Meet the Team
    • Meet the Board
    • Our Partners
    • Current Contracts
    • Current VacanciesBack
      • Current Vacancies
      • Head of Business Development
    • Partner with Us
    • Contact Us
    • Governance
  • What We DoBack
    • What We Do
    • Core ServicesBack
      • Core Services
      • Equity
      • Facilities
      • Funding & Support
      • InsightBack
        • Insight
        • Devon receives national investment to help older people get active in nature
      • Marketing & Communications
      • Safeguarding
      • Strategic Networking
      • Volunteer Development
    • ProgrammesBack
      • Programmes
      • Local Programmes
      • Primary Premium
      • School Games
      • Workplace Movement
    • SectorsBack
      • Sectors
      • Commercial
      • Community Groups
      • Education – HE & FE
      • Education – Schools
      • Health
      • Local Authorities
      • NGB
  • Latest
  • Active Partnerships
  • Impact
  • Search
  • Login

Search form

  • Contact Us

You are here

  • Home
  • Latest
  • Active Partnerships support local GP practices in gaining Active Practice Charter recognition

Active Partnerships support local GP practices in gaining Active Practice Charter recognition

Posted on 9th March 2023
man and women cycling through a park
  • Local News

Being active has many physical and mental health benefits, including reducing the risk of many long-term conditions; helping manage existing conditions; ensuring good musculoskeletal health; developing and maintaining physical and mental function and independence; supporting social inclusion; helping maintain a healthy weight; and reducing inequalities for people with long-term conditions.1

In fact, the United Kingdom Chief Medical Officers have gone as far as saying that “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”.2

However, GPs and their teams have not always felt empowered to promote physical activity. Recognising this, the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) launched the Active Practice Charter to facilitate simple but impactful changes which demonstrate to patients and staff that movement really is the best medicine.3

Being an Active Practice can have significant impact on the health of individuals and communities linked to the practice. It's also a great example of social prescribing ‘in action’ whereby people are connected with non-medical activities, groups and support.4

“It was very important to spread the awareness of how important physical activity is and how that goes alongside physical and mental health.” 

Social Prescriber, Buckinghamshire.

To meet the Active Practice Charter criteria, practices need to demonstrate that they have taken steps to: (1) reduce sedentary behaviour in staff; (2) reduce sedentary behaviour in patients; (3) increase physical activity in staff; (4) increase physical activity in patients; and (5) partner with a local physical activity provider. And it is here where the Active Medicine in Practice (AMiP) project stepped in to support three local practices as part of the Active Medicine™ programme.5

At the start of 2022, three Active Partnerships – Get Berkshire Active, Leap, and Active Oxfordshire – collaborated on a project funded by The Sports Council Trust Company.  Each Active Partnerships were tasked with selecting a GP practice in their locality and supporting them with meeting the five criteria outlined by the RCGP. A bespoke package of support were subsequently developed for The Kintbury and Woolton Hill Surgeries, The Priory Surgery, and Blackbird Leys Community Practice. This led to all three practices becoming accredited as Active Practices.

“They were able to tell us what we needed to do to achieve Active Practice Charter status. They’ve also been really helpful in terms of helping us think about how we might want to achieve it and what our structure might be. They've been very supportive. Having the structure and knowing what we need to achieve, that's been the key.”  GP, Berkshire.

To learn more about the added value of Active Partnership support in gaining Active Practice Charter status, the project was also externally evaluated by The Centre for Sport, Physical Education and Activity Research (spear) at Canterbury Christ Church University.6   The evaluation report highlighted key learnings for Active Partnerships and GP practices to facilitate more practices in becoming Active Practices.7

Recommendations for GP Practices:

  • Adopt a ‘whole practice’ approach the Active Practice Charter scheme. Engaging all staff enhances organisational learning, eases implementation, and increases the likelihood of lasting behaviour change among staff and patients.  Ensure all staff receive some training and have the chance to inform, shape and drive your Active Practice.
  • Create beacons of change. As your Active Practice becomes increasingly established and produces more role models and advocates, the aspirations and expectations of people will change.  Support this culture of change through inclusive opportunities that foster a sense of ownership and empower staff, patients, and partners to be the voices of Active Practices
  • Initiate cross-sector partnerships. Develop relationships with individuals, groups and organisations that serve the community and are invested in building healthier communities.  Actively engaging with partners will increase the reach, accessibility, sustainability and impact of Active Practices for people who need it most.
  • Evidence-based decision making is critical for effective development of an Active Practice. Look for ways evidence impact and find out what works, what does not, and why. Share this evidence as widely as possible to inform policy and investment, support provision and practice, and maximise engagement and outcomes.

Recommendations for Active Partnerships:

  • Think beyond achievement of Active Practice Charter status. Encourage practices to consider their wider agenda and how being an Active Practice can support this agenda. Build a relationship that aids achievement of Active Practice Charter criteria and taps into what matters to each practice to increase engagement and outcomes, and open doors for longer term work.
  • Do not underestimate the time and energy it takes to help a practice become an Active Practice. Ensure the practice lead has the capacity and authority to motivate engagement, make decisions and drive implementation of Active Practice criteria. Encourage practices to use initiative and creative to develop and Active Practice that is informed, driven, and delivered by the practice, for the practice and the community it serves.
  • Build support and advocacy across the board, from policymakers at the top to service users on the ground. Show policymakers how an Active Practice supports public health priorities, show practitioners how it improves practice, and tell end users about the difference it makes in their lives. 

Increasing our patients' physical activity is likely the most effective single intervention we can do to support their health as a whole. The Active Practice Charter was brought in to highlight this and provide a framework for practices and Primary Care Networks to use when embedding it into their service delivery for patients. In addition, it highlights the importance for staff, both for their wellbeing and to be passionate advocates. I have been truly impressed with the incredible work being done across Oxfordshire, Berkshire, and Buckinghamshire with the Active Medicine programme. The importance placed on unifying the whole practice behind the scheme is so vital. Only through culture change can more holistic care be achieved.”

Dr Hussain Al-Zubaidi, Channel 4 TV Doctor and RCGP Physical Activity & Lifestyle Lead

Our key aim is to effect systems change and, although a small pilot project, the success we had across the BOB ICP area has shown what’s possible and is now generating interest more widely. We hope to be able to start supporting more surgeries to become Active Practices in 2023.”

Brett Nicholls, CEO at Get Berkshire Active

It was a pleasure supporting Kintbury and Woolton Hill Surgeries in Berkshire with the Active Practice Charter. They ensured different members of their team, including the GP lead were involved in the process and being able to work together to bounce off ideas to achieve the Charter was really useful.   The surgery ensured the Active Practice Charter benefitted staff and patients and their offer included training for all staff, new bike racks, yoga classes, waiting room video, standing desks and pedal exercisers.  The surgery is committed to longer term ideas and plans to support staff and patients adopt more active lives and we will take the learnings from this pilot to support more surgeries across Berkshire.”

Cathy Carr, Strategic Lead for Living Life Well at Get Berkshire Active

Active Medicine has provided the Leap team with a much-valued training tool to support system change in the health, social care and VCSE systems, all team members us it as a key tool in their kit bag to unite the movement in Bucks and MK.”

Chris Gregory, Head of Strategic Relationships at Leap 

I thoroughly enjoyed working with Blackbird Leys Health Centre on the successful achievement of their Active Practice Charter status, the project enabled me to better understand the needs of the practice and better understand how this charter and how our support as an Active Partnership can set them up for long term sustainable success.”

Natalie Davis, Healthy Communities Manager at Active Oxfordshire 

 

About the Active Medicine™ Programme

The Active Medicine™ programme started out as a collaborative learning and innovation project funded for two years (Sep 2019-Sep 2021) by Sport England and delivered in partnership by three Active Partnerships: Get Berkshire Active, Active Oxfordshire and Leap. The pilot and evaluation phase focused mainly on upskilling health and social care workforces with the knowledge, skills and confidence to promote physical activity, but have since evolved to encapsulate three elements: education, resources, and support. It is within the element of support and through additional funding from the Sports Council Trust Company that the Active Medicine in Practice (AMiP) project was developed. For more information contact the Active Medicine™ programme manager, Dr Marlize De Vivo: marlize.devivo@getberkshireactive.org

 References:

[1] https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/health-matters-physical-activity/health-matters-physical-activity-prevention-and-management-of-long-term-conditions

[2] https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/832868/uk-chief-medical-officers-physical-activity-guidelines.pdf

[3] https://elearning.rcgp.org.uk/mod/page/view.php?id=12583

[4] https://socialprescribingacademy.org.uk/social-prescribing-day/

[5] https://getberkshireactive.org/active-medicine-programme1

[6] https://www.canterbury.ac.uk/science-engineering-and-social-sciences/spear/spear.aspx

[7] https://getberkshireactive.org/uploads/active-medicine-in-practice-evaluation-report.pdf?v=1668521349

 

 

 

 

 

Related stories

Head and shoulders shot of Sir Muir Gray
Local News
Live Longer Better: A Community of Practice and Learning for Active Partnerships

It just makes sense…..

Read more...
white building of the medical centre against a blue sky
Local News
Two Rivers Medical Centre in Ipswich awarded the Active Practice Charter

The Two Rivers Medical Centre in Ipswich has received an award from the Royal College of GPs and Sport England in recognition for achieving Active Practice status by reducing sedentary behaviour

Read more...
Go Back

Filter posts by region

Popular Tags

faith
Clinical Champions
Under 5
Active Communities
refugee. refugees
Meetings
gdpr
Convention
Weightmans
active norfolk

Most Popular Posts

“Mountains aren’t just for visitors"
NHS and Off the Grid get Young People Moving
1 Million people are now regularly active in Greater Manchester

Archives

  • November 2015 (5)
  • December 2015 (4)
  • February 2016 (5)
  • March 2016 (3)
  • April 2016 (4)
  • May 2016 (8)
  • June 2016 (10)
  • July 2016 (10)
  • August 2016 (3)
  • September 2016 (13)
  • October 2016 (9)
  • November 2016 (8)
  • December 2016 (1)
  • January 2017 (8)
  • February 2017 (4)
  • March 2017 (6)
  • April 2017 (8)
  • May 2017 (8)
  • June 2017 (14)
  • July 2017 (9)
  • September 2017 (11)
  • October 2017 (11)
  • November 2017 (5)
  • December 2017 (5)
  • January 2018 (5)
  • February 2018 (4)
  • March 2018 (3)
  • April 2018 (1)
  • May 2018 (9)
  • June 2018 (6)
  • July 2018 (11)
  • August 2018 (1)
  • September 2018 (9)
  • October 2018 (11)
  • November 2018 (5)
  • December 2018 (6)
  • January 2019 (6)
  • February 2019 (5)
  • March 2019 (6)
  • April 2019 (8)
  • May 2019 (7)
  • June 2019 (7)
  • July 2019 (6)
  • August 2019 (2)
  • September 2019 (8)
  • October 2019 (6)
  • November 2019 (7)
  • December 2019 (2)
  • January 2020 (5)
  • February 2020 (7)
  • March 2020 (7)
  • April 2020 (14)
  • May 2020 (4)
  • June 2020 (9)
  • July 2020 (8)
  • August 2020 (2)
  • September 2020 (11)
  • November 2020 (8)
  • January 2021 (4)
  • February 2021 (7)
  • March 2021 (7)
  • May 2021 (9)
  • June 2021 (6)
  • July 2021 (8)
  • August 2021 (2)
  • September 2021 (4)
  • October 2021 (4)
  • November 2021 (10)
  • December 2021 (1)
  • January 2022 (5)
  • February 2022 (3)
  • March 2022 (6)
  • April 2022 (10)
  • May 2022 (2)
  • June 2022 (7)
  • July 2022 (4)
  • August 2022 (3)
  • September 2022 (6)
  • November 2022 (14)
  • December 2022 (4)
  • January 2023 (10)
  • February 2023 (5)
  • March 2023 (7)

@ActivePartners_
Follow us

  • RT @GetBerksActive: Fantastic morning hosting our Early Years workshop for those in the sector! It’s important to us we facilitate conv… https://t.co/P2PHYSjsD9
    POSTED ON 20 March
  • We welcome the report #HealthyBritain by @kimleadbeater. The proposals embrace and reflect the Active Partnerships… https://t.co/dY1C4XAYpb
    POSTED ON 20 March
  • Project 500 has so much learning to share. Come and join the webinar to get some brillant tips on how to increase a… https://t.co/L5dODLcUc1
    POSTED ON 14 March

Follow us

Newsletter Sign-up

Be the first to hear news and opportunities from the Active Partnerships

You may have noticed we have a new brand, and the CSP Network is now known as Active Partnerships

Contact us

Telephone
07788 296161

Email
info@ActivePartnerships.org

Copyright © 2023 Active Partnerships All rights reserved.
  • Site Map
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Cookies
  • Legal
  • Accessibility
  • Privacy
Site design by EHD