This story was first published in digitalhealth.net
Initiative to see patients 'prescribed' outdoor physical activity
The Royal College of General Practitioners and parkrun UK are set to launch a ground-breaking initiative that could see thousands of patients being 'prescribed' outdoor physical activity rather than medication.
With 535 parkruns currently in operation across the UK, the joint initiative aims to improve the health and well-being of health care staff, patients and carers, reducing the need for lifelong medication, with GP practices encouraged to develop closer links with their local parkrun to become certified 'parkrun practices’.
The initiative builds on research conducted by parkrun UK in 2017 that revealed hundreds of healthcare practitioners who are aware of the wide-ranging benefits of active lifestyles to health and well-being are already signposting patients to parkrun. It aims to further increase awareness amongst GPs, and all practice staff, of parkrun and the positive impact physical activity and volunteering can have on health and well-being.
Parkruns, which are free, 5k events that take place every Saturday morning year-round in public areas of open space, are often situated close to GP practices and are accessible for people of all ages and abilities.
Helen Stokes-Lampard, chair of the Royal College of GPs, said: "Small, often simple, lifestyle changes can have a really positive impact on our health and well-being, so anything that encourages patients to live better, and move more is a good thing. parkrun is a diverse, fun and free way of getting our patients up and moving about, and empowering them to make basic lifestyle changes in the best interests of their long-term health and well-being."
Chrissie Wellington, head of Health and Wellbeing at parkrun, said: "Our research tells us that GPs and other practice staff are already signposting people to parkrun to great effect and we want to scale this up. This exciting and game-changing initiative with RCGP is a huge step forward in helping us to encourage GP practices across the country to forge really beneficial partnerships with their local parkruns, and for all staff and patients to realise the wide-ranging health benefits that parkrun participation can bring."
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