Updated resources for 2018 have been released to support the teaching of exercise medicine for the prevention and treatment of disease in undergraduate health and medicine programmes. Working with universities across the UK, Exercise Works! have updated the #MovementforMovement resources to include all recent evidence on physical activity strategies and clinical practice for noncommunicable diseases, pregnancy and surgery. These resources are free to providers of undergraduate medical and healthcare education to support capacity building in the healthcare workforce.

Ann Gates, Founder and CEO of Exercise Works!, said:

“The 2018 evidence update of the #MovementForMovement educational resources is unique. The entire resources have been updated and reviewed by peers and health care students. Tomorrow’s health and social care professionals are the “vanguards” of future knowledge and skills: these resources have been designed and reviewed to enable universities and students to make every contact count and every influence matter for physical activity and health”.

Movement For Movement embeds physical activity into the undergraduate healthcare curriculum and provides current, clinically valuable, evidence-based resources developed by: curators, authors, peer reviewers, student reviewers, and endorsed in 2015 by the Council of Deans of Health.

Among the student reviewers were two from the Council’s #150Leaders student leadership programme. David Williams, physiotherapy student at The University of Nottingham, said:

“The #MovementForMovement resources are an exciting and informative resource that brings current knowledge of exercise and physical activity to help reduced the burden of non-communicable diseases. I hope this important document fosters a community of practice in health and medical schools worldwide. Student’s get involved!”.

Sarah Bradder, therapeutic radiography student at Sheffield Hallam University, stressed the importance of student engagement:

“I really enjoyed reviewing the packages. It was great to know that my suggestions were valued and have helped make them more engaging and accessible, plus I got to learn something new too!”.

The work has been recognised as a UK best practice exemplar by the 2018 WHO Europe Physical Activity Fact Sheets (1) and the 2018 WHO Europe Physical Activity in the Health Sector report (2) so we are keen to increase uptake across all UK Schools of health and all health and social care professions.

The objectives of the 2018 WHO Global Action Plan for Physical Activity (GAPPA) clearly require improved education and communication to patients, communities and society on the benefits of physical activity (PA).

There is also considerable ongoing collaboration to deliver further strategic support and leadership focussing on the valuable “social capital” that health care professionals provide across all the GAPPA objectives and specifically the social determinants of health.

Notes

1. Exercise Works! promotes the use of physical activity in preventing and treating disease. For further details, http://www.exercise-works.org/ , #MovementforMovement
2. The link to the resources has been circulated to Council members via the weekly bulletin
3. For queries about the resources contact annbgates@googlemail.com

References

1. WHO Europe Physical activity country factsheets 2018. Accessed 11 November 2018 http://www.euro.who.int/en/health-topics/disease-prevention/physical-activity/data-and-statistics/physical-activity-fact-sheets/physical-activity-country-fact-sheets/united-kingdom-of-great-britain-and-northern-ireland
2. WHO Europe Physical Activity in the Health Sector Report 2018 Accessed 11 November 2018  http://www.euro.who.int/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/382337/fs-health-eng.pdf?ua=1