Evaluation of the Clinical Champions' Physical Activity Training Programme

Abstract

In 2014 Public Health England (PHE) launched the National Physical Activity Framework ‘Everybody Active, Everyday’. The framework included a key domain for action called ‘Moving Professionals’. The Moving Professionals Programme aims to build expertise and leadership across key professional sectors and to raise awareness and understanding of the health benefits of physical activity among professionals and the wider public. The programme comprises several innovative work packages which are described in full elsewhere (Brannan et al., 2019). One element of the programme was the Clinical Champions’ Physical Activity Training Programme. PHE developed a network of Clinical Champions who were tasked with providing peer-to-peer training on physical activity for healthcare professionals. The long-term aim of the Clinical Champions’ Physical Activity (CCPA) training programme is to increase population levels of physical activity by increasing the proportion of healthcare professionals integrating conversations about physical activity into routine clinical practice in England.An independent evaluation of the Clinical Champion’s physical activity training programme was conducted by researchers based at the National Centre for Sport and Exercise Medicine (NCSEM) in the School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences at Loughborough University, UK. The NCSEM were not responsible for the implementation of the Clinical Champions’ physical activity training. The evaluation aimed to: 1) Evaluate the uptake and utilisation of the training programme and the different training models; 2) Assess the perceived impact of the training programme on healthcare professionals’ confidence, knowledge and application of brief physical activity advice in routine clinical practice; 3) Assess whether there is any differential impact of the training programme when sessions are delivered by different types of Clinical Champion (i.e. doctor, nurse or allied healthcare professional) to different healthcare professional audiences and 4) Assess the perceived strategic impact of the Clinical Champion physical activity training programme. A mixed methods approach was used to evaluate the programme. This report details the evaluation findings and provides recommendations for the future implementation of the Clinical Champions’ physical activity training programme.

Training Healthcare Professionals on How to Promote Physical Activity in the UK: A Scoping Review of Current Trends and Future Opportunities

“…One difference between CPD training and the undergraduate curriculum found in the literature is that, in CPD training, behaviour change models such as the ‘Capability, Opportunity, Motivation, Behaviour’ (COM-B) model were used [ 20 , 22 , 29 ]. In contrast, behaviour change strategies such as the motivational interview [ 20 , 26 , 29 , 36 , 37 ] were used in both education levels ( Table 3 ). To illustrate this, training content for motivational interviewing in one CPD training resource included reflective listening, open-ended questions, and linking discussions to individual patient goals [ 20 ].…”

“…CPD training and undergraduate curriculum training for HCPs differed in approaches to face-to-face training. In CPD training, face-to-face teaching came in protected learning time, delivered by fellow HCPs [ 36 ]. As part of the MHPP, designated HCP ‘Clinical Champions’ delivered CPD training to other HCPs via slide sets during protected learning time, vocational training schemes, and conferences.…”

“…Within this training, ‘Clinical Champions’ would signpost additional CPD training resources, such as ‘Moving Medicine’, to complement face-to-face training [ 35 ]. Further face-to-face CPD training found in the literature incorporated training in how to deliver PA promotion using PA assessment tools, including tuition on using a PA assessment calculator and motivational interviewing [ 34 ], and face-to-face training on how to use PA clinical advice pads [ 36 ].…”

Designing a National Veterinary Prescribing Champion Programme for Welsh Veterinary Practices: The Arwain Vet Cymru Project

“…In Australia, Antibiotic Champions have been used to support an AMS campaign within Children’s Health teams [ 36 ]. Medical, veterinary and dental students in the UK can register to become Antibiotic Guardian Champions [ 37 ], and the UK’s National Health Service (NHS) has several Champion schemes, addressing such issues as social prescribing [ 38 ], diabetes [ 39 ], physical activity [ 40 ], perinatal metal health [ 41 ], and digital health [ 42 ]. In this programme, giving the participants an identity, as a VPC was a crucial part in developing a sense of community and leadership.…”