During 2019, we will be delivering a project to increase physical activity at Highbury Hospital, Millbrook Mental Health Unit and Bassetlaw Hospital.
Active Lives will engage service users to engage in physical activity.
This project is possible thanks to a grant from Sport England. The aim is to increase engagement in physical activity, improve quality of activity provision, education and information related to supporting people to continue engaging in physical activity on discharge to the community.
The bid arose from an identified lack of physical activities for our service users to access. The opportunity to take part in physical activity is regularly mentioned at patient council meetings as an area for improvement, including activities for service users who are unable to leave the wards.
Physical activity has many benefits for both physical health and mental wellbeing, and can lead to reductions in incidents of violence and aggression.
We are already planning various events and long running sessions, on and off wards and in the community. We have strong partnerships with Everyone Active in north Nottinghamshire and Get Out Get Active in the city (both local council initiatives) as well as links with Activepartnerstrust, Notts County FC and local leisure centres.
There will be two big Active Lives events at Millbrook and Highbury, on 16 and 2 of May respectively, and rolling programmes of exercise/sports on and off the wards at the three sites as well as one off inter ward challenges, gym access weeks and walking routes on the sites.
Anyone who is interested in being part of the project can contact the Live Team for more information on 0115 854 2262 or email jennifer.bailey@nottshc.nhs.uk. Please see the Active Lives project poster [pdf] 238KB for the planned events.