A year of increasing activity and improving resident health
Leisure and sports28 November 2024
North Northamptonshire Leisure and Public Health in North Northamptonshire Council are working together to increase activity and improve health outcomes for residents.
Active for Health, a Public Health funded project, has now been running for a year. It’s developing and strengthening partnerships, with the key aims of improving the access to, and quality of services, in North Northamptonshire’s leisure facilities.
Thanks to Active for Health, our leisure delivery partners, Places Leisure, Freedom Leisure, and North Northamptonshire Leisure, can improve activity services and programmes across North Northamptonshire.Councillor Helen Howell, Deputy Leader for North Northamptonshire Council and Executive Member for Sport, Leisure, Culture and Tourism
I am particularly delighted that Active for Health is supporting increased training for teams within our leisure facilities. This investment helps staff feel valued in their roles, as well as developing their skillset in the leisure industry.
I know that staff have enjoyed the training and are finding it useful in their day-to-day contact with our residents.
Public Health in North Northamptonshire Council is committed to working with North Northamptonshire Leisure services to tackle health inequalities and improve outcomes for our residents.Councillor Gill Mercer, North Northamptonshire Council’s Executive Member for Adults, Health and Wellbeing
This partnership means that we can work together to improve and develop existing interventions such as Activity on Referral (AOR), rehabilitation programmes and falls prevention, as well as introduce new programmes.
Active for Health Funding supports public health priorities including reducing the risk of chronic diseases, deaths from COPD and preventable cancers, as well as reducing emergency hospital admission rates for hip fractures.
Other priorities include increasing the percentage of adults who are physically active and reducing the amount of adults with excess weight.
Plans are progressing well since Active for Health started in October 2023. An increase has been seen in adults attending Action on Referral consultations through Leisure providers across North Northamptonshire.
Training is a vital part of Active for Health and funding has supported training to 49 members of staff:
• Two members of staff from North Northamptonshire Leisure Corby have completed their Falls Prevention Training and are involved in expanding delivery of the Get Up & Go programme
• Customer Support and Mental Health Training has been delivered by MIND to 32 staff from Freedom Leisure in Rushden, and North Northamptonshire Leisure staff in Corby. This has given them a better understanding of mental health issues, and empowered these staff with the knowledge to support and signpost clients where necessary
• Two members of staff have completed Cancer Rehabilitation Training and four members have attended Exercise Referral Training, all North Northamptonshire Leisure staff
• Four members of staff have been enrolled onto BACPR Cardiac Rehabilitation Specialist Training, two from North Northamptonshire Leisure Corby and one each from Places Leisure and Freedom Leisure.
Corby residents are already benefitting from this rehabilitation programme, as those staff have completed their training, Wellingborough and Rushden residents soon follow when those staff have completed their training
Funding has also supported North Northamptonshire Leisure to purchase “Good Boost” at Corby East Midlands International Pool which has provided additional services such as aqua natal and therapeutic exercise and rehabilitation activities in the water. Since May 70 members have taken part in 759 aqua sessions. Waendel, Wellingborough staff are currently training in the Good Boost system.
In addition, Places Leisure, Wellingborough has restarted delivery of the Activity on Referral scheme.
I am delighted at the progress already made in the first year of Active for Health.Jason Smithers, Leader of North Northamptonshire Council
Our leisure services provide such an important service for many of those in our communities, but it’s important to involve even more of our residents with the resources and support they need to lead active lifestyles and improve their health.