Active Connections

Active Connections is a programme of works that HSP operate, funded by Hertfordshire County Council (HCC) Public Health, which seeks to improve the understanding and integration of physical activity within healthcare settings in Hertfordshire. 

A variety of approaches are implemented within this work, including: 

• Working directly with Primary Care Networks (PCNs) to provide learning resources and tools to help understand and ambed physical activity into practice (see more details below)
• Working with Personalised Care colleagues to improve understanding and connections with local opportunities to to be more physically active
• Improving knowledge and connections to local exercise referral schemes 
• Identify and promote quality assured online physical activity resources

Tools and Learning Resources 

To improve Healthcare Professionals’ (including Personalised Care staff) knowledge around the benefits of physical activity, and how to identify and signpost to suitable local opprtunities, HSP staff are: 

• Attending and presenting at PCN protected learning time and strategic meetings
• Organising and/or delivering training opportunities for healthcare and Personalised Care staff
• Encouraging GP surgeries to sign up to the Active Practice Charter to help encourage patients and staff to be more active 
• Promoting and connecting key physical activity opportunities and resources 
• Creating a network of Healthcare Physical Activity Champions (HPAC) 

How can we connect to your Primary Care Network?

Discover who HSP are and how we can support your Primary Care Network with getting more people, more active, more often. HSP and partners can attend your events and meetings e.g., Target Events, Wellbeing Days, Protected Learning, Lunch & Learn sessions, Team Meetings, Locality Forums and anything else you see benefit in us joining. 

In addition to our own staff, HSP can arrange for other local physical activity partners to attend your engagement sessions to help promote connections locally. 

If you have an opportunity that you would like HSP to engage with, please contact us using the details at the bottom of this page. 

What support can we offer at these events and beyond?

• Formal or informal training opportunities e.g., Physical Activity Clinical Champion (PACC) training, Active Medicine training or general presentations on specific physical activity topics. 
• Insights/quizzes as to why physical activity is important in your lacality 
• Connections to local physical activity deliverers e.g., GP Exercise Referral Schemes.
• HSP tools and approaches e.g., Moving More Activity Finder, Live Longer Better in Hertfordshire movement, Long Covid physical activity rehabilitation project etc.
• Active Practice Charter – How and why your PCN should sign up
• Physical activity demonstrations e.g., seated/chair-based exercise techniques.
• How to stay connected e.g., become a Healthcare Physical Activity Champion (HPAC).

Become more confident in talking about physical activity with your patients using tips and tricks from Moving Medicine's latest video