The cure for all ills is not to sit still: Raising the profile of physical activity in primary care

Our tenth annual conference was titled ‘The cure for all ills is not to sit still – Raising the profile of physical activity in primary care'. The conference was timely given the Coalition Government’s plans to place GPs at the heart of clinical commissioning and the opportunities and challenges this presents for physical activity.

Key note speaker presentations

Presentations included:

• Dr Alan Maryon-Davis: 'Physical activity in the changing political landscape'
• Dr William Bird: 'The evidence for promoting physical activity in primary care'
• Professor Simon Capewell: 'Competing priorities in primary care'
• Dr Simon Murphy: 'The Welsh exercise referral trial: Implications for practice'
• Professor Stuart Biddle: 'Top tips to engage primary care'

Click here to download keynote presentations from the BHFNC tenth annual conference

Workshop presentations

Workshop topics at the conference included:

• Let's Get Moving: Practical approaches to delivering the physical activity care pathway
• Using the BHFNC Exercise Referral Toolkit: Ideas for action
• The economic freeze: How to ensure physical activity is kept on the agenda
• Patient empowerment: Utilising a solution focused approach
• Making every contact count for physical activity
• Maximising potential in primary care: Options for prevention, treatment and management

Click here to download workshop presentations from the BHFNC tenth annual conference

Case study posters

A range of inspiring physical activity projects from across the UK that have successfully engaged primary care professionals in project design and/or delivery were showcased in the BHFNC 10th Annual Conference case study zone.

These posters provide ideas on the best ways of establishing the engagement of key professionals in primary care, and the benefits of doing so.

To download the Case Study Zone posters click here

Sharing practice booklet

A selection of physical activity projects from across the UK that have engaged primary care professionals in project design/delivery are included in our booklet 'Sharing Practice: Raising the Profile of Physical Activity Within Primary Care'

The aim of this booklet is to:

• Encourage sharing of practice among health and physical activity professionals
• Increase awareness of the range of interventions taking place across the UK
• Provide ideas on how to engage key primary care professionals with the physical activity agenda

Click here to download ‘Sharing Practice: Raising the Profile of Physical Activity in Primary Care’ 

Top tips for engaging primary care professionals in the promotion of physical activity

This leaflet pulls together the tips that emerged from the BHFNC 10th Annual Conference for engaging primary care professionals with the physical activity agenda.

 Tips include:

• Organise meetings with key players such as practice managers and GP commissioning consortia to present the latest evidence on your physical activity initiative’s value for money and health benefits for patients.
• Find out the priorities of primary care practitioners and develop programmes based around these. Work with them to secure funding rather than developing an idea and then trying to ‘sell it’ to them.
• Ensure that processes and pathways are as simple as possible so that they are not deemed to be too time consuming. For example, if you are running an exercise referral scheme, exercise referral forms should be as easy to complete as possible.

Click here to download 'Top tips for engaging primary care professionals in the promotion of physical activity'