Exercise Medicine Key Deliverable in New Government Strategy

Following a response by the Faculty of Sport and Exercise Medicine (FSEM) to the Government’s sport strategy consultation in November 2015, Sporting Future – A New Strategy for an Active Nation was released by the Department for Culture Media and Sport and Tracey Crouch MP.

The cross-government strategy aims to “tackle head on the flatlining levels of sport participation and high levels of inactivity in this country” and includes a five page section on physical activity in which Sport and Exercise Medicine and “its use within the NHS and wider public health practice” is a key part of its deliverables:

Public Health England (PHE) will, with others including Health Education England (HEE) and the Faculty of Sport and Exercise Medicine (FSEM),support the growth of sport and exercise medicine and its use within the NHS and wider public health practice, including through supporting the development of the National Centre for Sport and Exercise Medicine (NCSEM).*

Dr Paul D Jackson, President of the FSEM comments: “We are pleased to see the specialty of Sport and Exercise Medicine recognised, in this key government report, as being relevant to public health and the NHS. Our medical specialty includes skills in the therapeutic use of physical activity and exercise medicine, musculoskeletal medicine and rehabilitation which, if more widely available, could make a big difference to general health and the prevention and management of many common conditions and diseases.

“The FSEM looks forward to working with Public Health England, Health Education England and the National Centre for Sport and Exercise Medicine to achieve this deliverable and give the public greater access to the unique medical knowledge, research and skills regularly used in the sporting world.”

(* Source: Sporting Future – A New Strategy for an Active Nation, page 29)