Local authorities are now charged with the responsibility for public health, with decisions about the commissioning of services being made locally by GPs and the directors of public health (see p26 for a full briefing).
Physical activity is one of the 66 indicators of the public health outcomes framework, so there’s now structural recognition of the importance of physical activity in the role of public health. However, ukactive CEO David Stalker says we must still be cautious about what these changes mean: physical activity and leisure are not currently statutory requirements, despite their inclusion in the outcomes framework, so they will not necessarily be protected.
The wider determinants of health will also now be tackled for the first time, so housing, roads and other local authority services will be assessed to see how they impact the health of the local population. This could mean, for example, funding being found for mass participation initiatives, such as the provision of cycle trails for children to get to school.
The fact that local authorities will be charged with getting people more physically active is great news for the health and fitness industry, as is the £2.7bn ringfenced budget. But how easy will it be to get a slice of the money – particularly for the private sector, which may not be as well-versed in the language of local government? And how much of this money has been allocated already?
On paper this looks like a good opportunity for the health and fitness industry, but what should be the first moves? Building relationships with the local decision-makers who will be commissioning services? Training staff and developing programmes to ensure facilities are equipped to deal with new audiences – people who are nervously embarking on a lifestyle change and who may be wary of gyms? We ask the experts...