New blueprint provides framework for physical activity sector and health service collaboration

With support from the Active Partnerships Network, ukactive has published a new blueprint for integrating the physical activity sector with health services.

This new publication was launched by ukactive’s Chair, Mike Farrar, who is the former CEO of the NHS Confederation, at the organisation’s Active Uprising event in Westminster today (Thursday 6 March).

The blueprint, which has been shaped in collaboration with five Active Partnerships, NHS England, Government officials, Sport England, NHS Horizons and ukactive members aims to provide the optimal framework to enable the NHS to work with the physical activity sector to build a healthier nation.

The new blueprint builds on the Government’s own ambition to shift support from treatment to prevention and hospital to community.

The blueprint outlines principles and actions that will support the NHS and its partners to achieve the 10-year vision for health and care.

Speaking at Active Uprising, Mike Farrar said: “Social prescribing and building physical activity into care pathways now provide the opportunity for the NHS to address the needs of tens of thousands of people suffering from chronic conditions and to help them avoid costly hospital admissions and loss of independent living.

“This is where the forthcoming 10-year vision for health can really signal a shift in priorities and resources by establishing a new relationship between the NHS and the physical activity sector.

“If we do not address our population’s worsening health with true preventative measures, our economy will struggle immensely to be supercharged, the way we all hope.”

The blueprint features eight key components to help ensure the right governance, partnerships, pathways and messaging are being delivered to drive the uptake of physical activity provisions and support the health of local communities.

In the long term, one ambition is for the delivery of the components within the blueprint to put an end to the current ‘postcode lottery’ when it comes to physical activity and health interventions, by enabling the delivery of industry-led physical activity programmes and initiatives to be integrated fully into the health and care system.

Andy Taylor, CEO for the Active Partnerships National Organisation, which has also supported the development of the blueprint, said: “By working together on the development and implementation of this blueprint, we can truly demonstrate the power of partnership working.

“The five Active Partnerships that have contributed so far either already had or have now developed greater connections with integrated care systems and integrated care board leads. The framework that they have helped to create can now be adapted and utilised in other areas across the country.

“The network’s involvement in this work clearly aligns with our ongoing mission to integrate physical activity into the health and care sectors.”

The blueprint’s publication comes at a pivotal time as the Government develops its 10-year health plan that will be published in Spring 2025. Physical activity helps prevent 20 chronic conditions, including type 2 diabetes, obesity, heart disease, many types of cancer, MSK conditions, depression and anxiety, and dementia – generating over £4.1bn in healthcare savings every year.

The five Active Partnerships involved in the work so far are Active Lincolnshire, Greater Manchester Moving, Living Sport, London Sport, and the Yorkshire Sport Foundation.

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