Commenting following the release from the Department of Health and Social Care, Tara Dillon, CEO of CIMSPA, said:
“We welcome the NHS’s new 10-year plan and its ambition to shift focus towards prevention, early intervention and community-based support. The sport and physical activity workforce has a vital role to play in that shift, not just in supporting recovery, but in preventing long-term health conditions before they develop.
Professionally recognised practitioners are already making a real difference to health care provision. Take the recent research that has showed that following a structured exercise programme can reduce the risk of death by up to one-third in people with cancer. Whether it’s working with individuals living with diabetes, heart disease or mental health conditions, having a trusted, competent physical activity workforce, backed by professional status, is giving NHS professionals and service providers the confidence to partner with our sector like never before.
Physical inactivity is associated with 1 in 6 deaths and costs the NHS an estimated £1 billion a year, with wider societal costs of over £7 billion. By embedding physical activity professionals into prevention and recovery pathways, we can unlock huge savings while improving health outcomes and people’s lives at scale. Professional status is not just a badge, it’s a signal of quality, expertise and consistency and ensures that every individual engaging with our sector, especially those with complex conditions, is supported by a workforce that meets the highest professional standards.
This new plan represents a major opportunity. By formally recognising the sport and physical activity workforce as part of the wider health and wellbeing ecosystem, we can help deliver on the NHS’s vision and bring lasting change to the health of the nation.”
