Physical health programme positively impacting patients with chronic conditions

April 7th, on World Health Day, Sport Ireland has published the findings of an evaluation of its Physical Activity for Health programme - showing that it has successfully helped almost 5,000 people living with chronic conditions access and engage in physical activity in their local communities.

Physical Activity for Health is a pilot initiative developed by Sport Ireland and funded by the Department of Health through Sláintecare and HSE Health and Wellbeing.

The programme primarily focuses on building partnerships between health services and community physical activity providers through signposting pathways and provision of tailored physical activity programmes.

The programme was piloted to 4,615 people in Mayo, Longford, Wicklow, Wexford, Limerick, and Waterford. Following the positive findings of this evaluation, it is anticipated that the initiative could be scaled nationally over time.

Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport Patrick O'Donovan said: “Physical Activity for Health shows what is possible when Local Sports Partnerships and local health services work together. By connecting people living with chronic conditions to community-based physical activity, this programme is improving the physical and mental health of participants. We are pleased to support its expansion.”

Physical Activity for Health Officers work closely with health services primarily Health Improvement Teams, Primary Care Teams, and Chronic Disease Hubs to connect people with chronic conditions to subsidised physical activity programmes run by Sport Ireland’s network of Local Sports Partnerships.

Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill said: “The progress made under this pilot programme is an excellent example of cross-sectoral collaboration delivering real and tangible benefits for patients and I look forward to seeing its further development.

“Physical activity is vital for the overall health and wellbeing of our population, and this will be strongly emphasised in our next Healthy Ireland Framework."

The evaluation found that the programme has created a meaningful shift in how health services and community providers work together, resulting in improved signposting and access to physical activity opportunities for people with chronic conditions.

Minister of State with special responsibility for Sport and Postal Policy Charlie McConalogue said: “Local Sports Partnerships and local health services are already proving what they can achieve together through Physical Activity for Health. People living with chronic conditions are getting active in their communities - and the results for both physical and mental health are clear. We look forward to building on that progress.”

Feedback from LSP coordinators, the HSE, and healthcare providers all pointed to improved collaboration and better patient outcomes as a direct result of the pilot.

Minister of State for Public Health, Wellbeing and the National Drugs Strategy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor said: “The Physical Activity for Health programme has been crucial in supporting people with chronic conditions, and those leaving healthcare settings.

“I welcome the learnings and recommendations of this evaluation report, which will guide us in ensuring that the strategic development and expansion of this programme maximises its effectiveness.”

Programme participants increased their physical activity levels and reported positive impacts on their physical health, mental wellbeing, and sense of connection to their communities.

Sport Ireland CEO Dr Úna May said: “At Sport Ireland a big part of what we do is about helping more people get active.

“By working with health services to remove the barriers that prevent people with chronic conditions from engaging in physical activity, we are reaching people who might never have found their way to one of our Local Sports Partnerships or a community physical activity programme. The results speak for themselves, and we are committed to building on them.”

The evaluation also identified what works: successful outcomes depended on a sequenced process - starting with awareness-raising and relationship-building, establishing confidence in the safety and relevance of the physical activity programmes, creating clear signposting pathways for participants, and providing support to access programmes.

The next steps will involve creating clearer signposting processes to help people find and access physical activity opportunities. We will also set up a feedback system so healthcare professionals can monitor who has taken part in these activities and evaluate how well the programme is working.