Introduction
A resource in consultation with the health and community sector produced for health professionals working with patients with long term health conditions to move more and normalise physical activity as part of their every day life to improve their health condition
What happened?
A physical activity booklet that is named 'Activities on Prescription' was designed in consultation with a range of key partners in response to the health sector identifying a need for support and resources that could be used to encourage patients to move more. The resource has been designed with a physical activity ladder that provides a range of activities for people based on their current physical activity levels and their current ability. It provides activity for people from those who are not able to stand or leave the home who are isolated at home due to a variety of reasons to those that are able to access community provision independently. It is also specifically designed to replicate the design of a GP prescription as it was found that prescriptions carry more weight and value and patients are more likely to carry out what has been ‘prescribed’ to them by a health professional.
Who was involved?
The activities on prescription pilot project which includes a partnership of Hartlepool Health PCN, the PFC Trust, TVS, Public Health and VCS organisations created to integrate primary care with the voluntary and community sector within Hartlepool to support patients with CoPD to improve their long term health conditions through becoming more physically active identified a need to create a physical activity resource to support health professionals working with their patients become more physically active.
The Activities on Prescription booklet was created by the partnership to help patients sit less and move more for people who have a long-term illness, recovering from surgery or who just want to increase their activity levels. The booklet is a free, resource packed full of ideas and suggestions as to how people can maximise the movement they are already doing. It aims to normalise being active as part of peoples every day lives, to promote independent activity.
When?
The resource was initially designed for a short term project with a small group of patients for a pilot project. However as the resource was shared and further consultation was done across the wider health sector it was evident that there is a need for this type of resource. I envisage that the resource will be tweaked and adapted to suit different partners and will continued to be developed.
Where?
The booklet was originally created for a small group of CoPD patients who were being targeted by Hartlepool Health PCN to improve their physical activity levels to ultimately reduce hospital admissions. Following the creation of this, the booklet was taken to the social prescriber well being network, Join the Movement strategic Group and the Walk into Wellness steering group for consultation. Following this consultation the booklet was provided townwide for usage.
The booklet is currently being used by health professionals including social prescribers, link workers, community navigators, NHS waiting well team members as a resource to encourage patients to move more. The resource is available to be downloaded for free for community members via the Hartlepool Sport website. More work needs to be done to create promotional QR codes to increase more traffic to the website as well as developing partnerships with wider health sector professionals to increase the expansion of the resource.
Why?
It was identified across a variety of health sector professionals that there was a lack of information or resources to support them encouraging patients to normalise physical activity as part of their everyday life. It aims to support the integration of primary care and physical activity incorporating every day life activities as well as community provision. There is still a big perception and a barrier to people becoming active, particularly those with a health condition that they are unable to be active as they perceive themselves unable to participate in the traditional gym or sport session. The resource aims to change peoples mindsets both health professionals and community members and redefine what being active is to make it more accessible to people with health conditions.
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