Make PE fascinating and fun

I read with interest the HCM articles on obesity (HCM Oct 14, p70) and increasing physical activity among children (HCM Oct 14, p62), and wanted to tell you about an initiative – School Gym 3T – that’s impacting on both these important areas.

The concept is owned by Graham Evans of Dyffryn Taf secondary school, Dylan Blain of Leisure Lines, and myself. We wanted to find a way to make PE, exercise and training valuable for all, whereby not being sporty didn’t make you poor in PE.

We’ve developed a lot of equipment that won’t be seen in a commercial or high performance gym, because it’s geared around young people and learning generally: we have things like giant dominoes for making mazes, alpha boards with lettering, bean bags and numbered tracks. Although athleticism can help, many games require more cerebral approaches to succeed: thinking, mathematics, spelling, planning. We’ve also developed awards that can be achieved through consistent displays of certain behaviours: coaching, mentoring, motivating and so on are all recognised.

We emphasise the development of good movement, as this is important for everyone, and ensuring habits acquired are for life. We currently have a PhD programme examining the effectiveness of this project, but you just have to visit the schools where it’s in place: pupils are engaging in large numbers, sporting success is high, obesity levels are low, and disengaged pupils are finding a way into education.

Dr Mark Bellamy
Project manager, School Gym 3T

In the School Gym 3T concept, games involve cerebral as well as physical activity

Let’s help GPs to make ‘every contact count’

The recent article on Dr John Morgan and his ‘exercise is medicine’ philosophy was refreshing, and his references to the 10-minute consultation a useful reinforcement of the recent movement to make ‘Every Contact Count’.
As Dr Morgan asserts, it’s about focusing on key information with achievable goals for both GP and patient (see HCM NovDec 14, p42).

If the fitness sector is to play a role, we must have a strong national and local evidence base to convince healthcare professionals of the merits of exercise interventions. Creating quick and seamless access to simple referral processes, so healthcare professionals can feed people into the appropriate services, is also crucial for time-pressured GPs, as is visibility of this information at all stages, so patient progress can be monitored.

Dr Morgan also highlights a role for private organisations in the fitness sector. I concur, but they do face a challenge in gaining access to surgeries. Strategies are required to support them, and they must have a clear understanding of what information is out there, as well as a clear picture of what’s required, so they can convince healthcare professionals of the merits of their services.

Stuart Stokes
Commercial director, Refer-all

Quick access to referral processes will help time-pressured GPs / photo: www.shutterstock.com/ JPC-PROD