Physical Activity Clinical Champions Creating a Positive Movement

The Physical Activity Clinical Champions (PACC) programme, facilitated by Moving Medicine and the Faculty of Sport and Exercise Medicine UK, provides free clinician-to-clinician training for healthcare professionals nationwide, led by a team of physical activity champions. The training aims to improve healthcare professional’s knowledge, skills, and confidence, enabling them to incorporate physical activity into their clinical practice more effectively. 

To date, the Herts Sport & Physical Activity Partnership (HSP) have successfully delivered three PACC training sessions as part of the Active Connections programme; upskilling a total of 80 Hertfordshire based healthcare professionals. The next training session is scheduled for May 6, 2025, as part of ongoing efforts to further support local healthcare workers and enhance the integration of physical activity in clinical care. 

Please find the joining details below to sign up to our next PACC training: 

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Physical Activity Clinical Champions training 

Tuesday 6th May 2025

12-1.30pm 

Sign up HERE

Although aimed at clinicians, this training is still suitable for non-clinical staff.  

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PACC have recently developed condition-specific PACC training sessions which differ slightly from the usual delivery model, including sessions focused specifically on mental health, behaviour change, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and many more.  

In February 2025, HSP hosted a mental health specific PACC session, helping to raise awareness of the role of movement in supporting patient’s mental health. The session was well-received, with 38 healthcare professionals gaining valuable insights on how to initiate conversations around mental health with patients and confidently refer them to movement-based interventions as part of their recovery process. 

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All PACC training sessions in Hertfordshire are hosted by HSP and delivered by our local PACC Tutor, Vasandhara Thoroughgood. 

Vasandhara is a GP based in Suffolk and has a particular interest in lifestyle medicine and planetary health. Vasandhara became a PACC tutor due to her perception that healthcare often takes a reactive approach, treating illness once it is established. Vasandhara uses her lifestyle medicine knowledge within the PACC training to help educate others, aiming to help prevent people becoming ill in the first place. 

"What I love about PACC is that it feels so positive to share the message of physical activity and bust some of the myths that people may have heard. It feels great to be part of the movement which is trying to empower our patients to do things to improve their health and it complements my day job very well" - Vasandhara Thoroughgood. 

If you have any questions about training for healthcare professionals, please contact hsphealth@herts.ac.uk