Launching a New Era of Active Living: Highlights from Our First Basildon and Brentwood Active Practice Leads and Active Champions Network Meeting

Launching a New Era of Active Living: Highlights from Our First Basildon and Brentwood Active Practice Leads and Active Champions Network Meeting

On July 10, 2024, a new chapter in community health and well-being began as healthcare professionals, council representatives, and community leaders gathered for the inaugural meeting of the Active Practice Leads and Active Champions Network. This exciting initiative aims to inspire and support patients and staff to embrace more active lifestyles, significantly impacting our collective health. We had over 20 attendees joining together from various organizations in our commitment to improving the well-being and physical activity of patients and staff.

A Shared Vision for a Healthier Community

Maria Medina kicked off the meeting by outlining the network's ambitious vision: to foster environments where physical activity is seamlessly integrated into everyday healthcare practices. By doing so, we aim to enhance the well-being of our communities and support new active practices joining our mission.

Championing Local and National Initiatives

William Bird, a key advocate for physical activity in healthcare, shared insights into both local and national efforts. He highlighted the impactful work of the Active Essex program and the Active Practice Charter, which encourages GP practices to make physical activity a priority. Additionally, Bird discussed the continuation of the Physical Activity Clinical Champions program, which has been instrumental in promoting exercise among patients.

Empowering Healthcare Professionals

A crucial part of the meeting was the emphasis on training for GPs, nurses, and practice managers. By equipping healthcare professionals with the knowledge and tools to promote physical activity, we ensure that the benefits of an active lifestyle reach every patient. This ongoing education is vital to our mission’s success. There is a wealth of resources in the virtual view pages that are aimed at staff getting knowledge support and signposting but also for them to join physical activities sessions that have been developed for staff to also take care of their wellbeing.

Strengthening Community Collaboration

The meeting underscored the importance of collaboration. By working together, healthcare providers, local councils, and community organizations can create a supportive infrastructure that makes it easier for everyone to stay active. This unified approach is essential for the initiative’s long-term success. One of our local social prescribers from ATF talked about the Armchair exercises initiative that is aimed to help those who are housebound or have mobility issues by encouraging movement in the comfort of their armchairs, this type of incitive support by various organizations as good example of best practice sharing that can make a real difference to our patients.

Addressing Challenges and Planning Ahead

The discussion also touched on the challenges we face, such as maintaining momentum and ensuring sustained commitment from all practices. By identifying these issues early, we can develop strategies to overcome them. The meeting concluded with clear next steps: continuing training, enhancing community engagement, developing monitoring and evaluation mechanisms, and planning regular follow-up meetings to keep the initiative on track.

Looking Forward

The energy and optimism at the meeting were palpable. With a shared commitment to fostering a culture of physical activity, the Active Practice Leads and Active Champions Network is poised to make a significant impact on public health. We look forward to seeing the positive changes that will come from this collaborative effort.

Stay tuned for more updates as we continue to build a healthier, more active community together.

For more information, attend meetings and sing up, please contact linzi.young1@nhs.net

Some of the resources mentioned in the meeting below.

Homepage - Moving Medicine

I am a healthcare professional - Active Essex

Physical Activity and Health – elearning for healthcare (e-lfh.org.uk)