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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).