ACSEP launches Moving Medicine in Australia: a resource helping healthcare professionals get Australians moving
The Australasian College of Sport and Exercise Physicians (ACSEP) this week launched a new tool, Moving Medicine, to assist healthcare professionals in engaging in meaningful conversations with patients around physical activity.
In Australia, over half of adults and a third of children do not meet the recommended physical activity guidelines. The impacts of a sedentary lifestyle have long lasting effects upon the mental, social and economic wellbeing of individuals and communities.
Moving Medicine contains consultation guides to help healthcare professionals to have conversations about physical activity to empower patients to make behavioural changes that will positively impact their health. The website also contains a range of other resources including patient information leaflets and the Active Hospitals resource, which aims to change the physical activity culture within hospitals to encourage patients to move more.
Moving Medicine was developed by the Faculty of Sport and Exercise Medicine (FSEM) UK in partnership with Public Health England, National Lottery, and Sport England alongside other partners. The resource has been highly successful and well received in the UK and ACSEP has adapted Moving Medicine for an Australian health landscape and leveraged the learnings from FSEM UK.
ACSEP CEO, Kate Simkovic said, “We have been working on our partnership with FSEM UK and Moving Medicine sits at the core of this work. Above all this is an exciting step forward in ACSEP forging important collaborations between our sibling organisations around the world.”
“We are looking forward to bringing Moving Medicine to Australia and we believe it will enable meaningful conversations between the healthcare professional and the patient that leads to action.”
“The statistics in Australia and worldwide tell us that there is more that we can do to get our communities moving, and we are thrilled to work with FSEM UK to contribute to this work.”
ACSEP will continue to work with FSEM UK to build our suite of resources and share learning with a view to drive Moving Medicine to a wider global audience.
Dr Natasha Jones, President Elect of FSEM UK and Moving Medicine Clinical Director said, “FSEM are delighted to be working closely with ACSEP on the Moving Medicine initiative. This is a wonderful opportunity to work together on our shared aim of improving the lives of people living with long term conditions through physical activity.”
Healthcare professionals, patients and health consumers can access the consultation guides and further resources via the Moving Medicine website.
For more information:www.movingmedicine.com.au
Luke Major – Moving Medicine Australia Project Officer