Hertfordshire’s GP Trainees Champion NHS Physical Activity Guidance

A new wave of GP trainees in Hertfordshire are stepping up to lead a national movement as they embrace NHS England’s latest call to embed physical activity into the heart of healthcare. 

The Herts Sport & Physical Activity Partnership (HSP) has made remarkable strides in primary care, working closely with local GP surgeries through the Active Practice Charter. The initiative helps practices incorporate physical activity into the everyday, benefiting both patients and staff. 

In a recent session at the Lister Education Centre in Stevenage, GP trainees were introduced to Active Medicine training, delivered by HSP. These young doctors, currently balancing demanding placements and intensive teaching are now equipped with a vital new skill: confidently promoting physical activity as part of a patient’s treatment plan. 

The move comes in response to a bold statement from NHS England in March 2025, which called for physical activity to be woven into every aspect of healthcare. One of the key pillars of that statement was Empowering Health and Care Professionals by providing the tools and confidence to discuss movement, especially with patients managing long-term conditions. 

This autumn, HSP will return to the Lister Education Centre to deliver Active Medicine to GP trainees in the Welwyn programme. This training will support building a generation of clinicians who see movement as medicine. 

For more information about Active Medicine, visit the healthcare training page or contact Zoe McKeating at z.mckeating@herts.ac.uk.