P28
PHYSICAL ACTIVITY HEALTH PROMOTION STALLS LED BY OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE
Newcastle OHS, The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, UK
Background
Physical activity (PA) can boast many physical and mental wellbeing benefits. Including prevention of co-morbidities such as cancer, coronary heart disease, diabetes, obesity, musculoskeletal conditions, and depression (Anderson and Durstine, 2019).
Evidence suggests PA reduced likelihood of sickness absence (Ketels et al., 2023) and national governing bodies recommend health care professionals to identify inactive adults, deliver and follow up on PA advice (NICE, 2023).
Considering the above, PA promotion plays an important role for Occupational Health Service (OHS) providers.
Aims
- To promote PA benefits to staff members in contact with OHS.
- To advise staff members of PA guidelines
- To increase awareness of OHS and OHS physiotherapy services throughout each site of the trust.
Methods
OHS team conducted three PA health promotion stalls across the three main sites of Newcastle Hospitals Trust (NUTH). RVI and Freeman Hospitals and Regent Point offices. Run time approx. 1 hour 30 minutes over a lunch break period. Two OHS physiotherapists and one OHS physician manned the PA stalls alongside a representative from the Hospital Staff Fitness Centres.
Results
Net audience across three sites after three sessions equated to approximately 45 staff member interactions.
Overall main aims were accomplished. The stall created beneficial conversations surrounding PA barriers, sign posting to local initiatives and promoting the services of OHS as well as staff fitness centre membership.
Conclusion
PA stalls were a great opportunity to disseminate the health benefits of PA, promote conversations to increase PA and highlight local opportunities for staff members within NUTH.
References:
Anderson, E. and Durstine, J.L., 2019. Physical activity, exercise, and chronic diseases: A brief review. Sports Medicine and Health Science, 1(1), pp.3-10.
Ketels, M., Belligh, T., De Bacquer, D. and Clays, E., 2023. The impact of leisure-time physical activity and occupational physical activity on sickness absence: a prospective study among people with physically demanding jobs. SCANDINAVIAN JOURNAL OF WORK ENVIRONMENT & HEALTH, 49(8), pp.578-587.
NICE (2013) Overview: Physical activity: Brief advice for adults in primary care: Guidance, NICE. Available at: https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ph44 (Accessed: 9 February 2024).
