Helping GPs promote exercise: Motivate to Move

Guest Blog from Dr Brian Johnson MRCGP

Honorary Medical Advisor for Public Health Wales

 “The potential benefits of physical activity to health are huge. If a medication existed which had a similar effect, it would be regarded as a ‘wonder drug’ or ‘miracle cure’ ” Professor Sir Liam Donaldson, 2010.

·         Physical inactivity kills more than smoking, diabetes and obesity combined.

·         Exercise as prevention or treatment now features in 39 UK national guidelines.

 So what can we as GPs do?

The vast majority of GP’s acknowledge that promoting increased activity is important in primary care, but sadly the evidence shows that the giving of physical activity guidelines and exercise advice are inconsistent. Many GP’s cite lack of time and resources as barriers to routinely giving advice on physical activity and a recent review¹ of primary care perceptions of physical activity cited lack of training and lack of knowledge as a primary barrier to counselling efforts.

In response to this the Motivate 2 Move website has been developed and endorsed by RCGP Wales as a comprehensive educational package designed to tackle the barriers identified above. It aims to increase the health professional’s ability to incorporate exercise advice routinely within patient consultations.

Designed as brief bites of information but with links to more detailed material for those who need it, the site comprises five main sections: 

ü  UK physical activity guidelines

ü  Health benefits - for 33 different medical conditions

ü  Motivation – using two different methods

ü  Starting to exercise

ü  Resource section of further information and

     practical tools.

With downloadable and printable resources for both professionals and patients, short instructional videos and case studies the website covers all aspects of exercise and health from general recommendations to disease specific information.

If ever there was a time that called for urgent change in how we promote increased physical activity and a healthy lifestyle it is NOW. This package gives GPs the tools to overcome many of the barriers and spending time on it would be a very valuable use of your CPD time.

Brian Johnson MBCHB, MRCGP, MFSEM,

Honorary Medical Advisor for Public Health Wales

 

Reference

1. Hebert ET, O Caughy M, Shuval; BJSM 2012;46:625-631

 other references available on request and on the Motivate 2 Move  site