Make every contact count by opportunistically asking about physical activity
Making Every Contact Count (MECC) is an all-Wales approach to behaviour change, utilising day-to-day interactions, to support people to make positive changes that improve their physical and mental health and well-being.
Consider encouraging practice staff to acquire MECC skills. For MECC e-learning (to level 1), see here [ESR or other login/ registration required]. For MECC training contacts by health board, see here [intranet].
Brief intervention by staff in regular contact with people who could use some support to make an informed choice about increasing physical activity is promoted by NICE guidance (PH49).
Getting Wales moving (PHW & Sport Wales 2017) advises healthcare professionals make every contact count and advocate positively and consistently the benefits of being active.
However, Making a difference (PHW 2016) cites evidence from the WHO that offering counselling around physical activity in primary care is less cost-effective (compared to support for active transport strategies, which are quite cost-effective).