working
with pcts
AC
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PA
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Lisa Taylor looks at the leisure sector’s ability to deliver
prevention and intervention strategies to improve health
O
besity is unquestionably delivering ‘effective treatment’. A starting assist in the delivery of programmes
one of the biggest health point to understanding how the leisure such as those created by MEND.
challenges facing the UK at sector can be involved is to outline what So why is this the case? What do we
the moment, and strategies qualifi es as ‘effective treatment’: have to offer and where do the openings
to tackle expanding waistlines are delivery-ready solutions from exist for leisure providers to optimise
topping the list of health interventions. organisations such as social enterprise their position as prospective partners?
But how can the leisure sector play a key MEND, for example – one of nine There are three fundamental advantages
role in the reduction of obesity levels, specialist providers identifi ed as part of when delivering this sort of programme.
over and above its existing work to the government’s framework for PCTs 1. Location: most leisure facilities
increase participation in physical activity considering commissioning child obesity operate in the heart of their community,
and encourage healthier lifestyles? intervention programmes. offering easy, convenient access for local
Although PCTs often have the funds families. They often have existing links
progress to date – £69m was allocated to local areas to with primary and secondary schools too.
The cross-government obesity strategy, combat obesity in 2009/10 – and are 2. The ability to sustain outcomes:
‘Healthy Weight, Healthy Lives’, being encouraged to commission weight once a course is completed, long-
underwent a progress review one year in. management services locally, they term change can only be achieved
The resulting report, published earlier this often require facilities and staff to help by sustaining habits and activity;
year, shows that tackling childhood and them deliver directly into their local introducing families to a leisure or
adult obesity “requires a large network of communities. Under the 2008/09 World fi tness facility means they can continue
organisations, central government, the Class Commissioning Programme – a to exercise at the end of the course in
NHS and private and third sectors...”. The process by which PCTs commission an environment they know and have
phrases that crop up again and again services – a fi fth of PCTs chose child become comfortable with. Leisure
throughout this and numerous other obesity as a priority. This is therefore centres can offer a huge variety of
government reports are ‘local’, ‘working an excellent opportunity for the leisure activities and sustainable pathways.
in partnership’ and identifying and sector, which is ideally positioned to 3. Staffi ng: effective childhood obesity
programmes are group-based and
engage parents or carers and children
together. The leisure sector has a
wealth of instructors who have vast
experience in this area, including sports
coaches, group exercise instructors
and fi tness instructors with Level 2
qualifi cations and above, as well as
excellent interpersonal communication,
coaching and facilitation skills.
Fully-manualised programmes allow
complex subjects to be delivered
cost-effectively by staff with diverse
backgrounds and a variety of
qualifi cations – MEND’s childhood
obesity programmes, for example, have
been written by specialists in their fi eld
for delivery by non-specialists with
appropriate training.
Easy does it Organisations such
as MEND provide delivery-ready
programmes to leisure centres
46 Read Health Club Management online june 2009 © cybertrek 2009
healthclubmanagement.co.uk/digital
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