Programme management across 4 Acute Trusts to implement the active hospitals approach

14th December 2022

The Challenge

The Active Hospital (AH) programme was launched as part of the national Moving Healthcare Professionals Programme (MHPP) in 2016. Its purpose was to embed the promotion of physical activity within the culture and practice of hospital trusts to create models of care that aimed to increase patient physical activity to ultimately improve patient experience, care and outcomes. The TU were commissioned by the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) as the Leadership Provider for Active Hospitals in Phase Two of the programme to explore new models of delivery. We worked with the four pilot sites and OHID over a two-year period to develop the programme and implement an Active Hospital approach.

Our Approach

We provided extensive programme management, governance and oversight to ensure the successful delivery of the programme, including:

  • Support to 4 pilot sites to enable delivery of the Active Hospitals approach in a total of 16 clinical/staff wellbeing pathways
  • Delivery of robust governance and assurance through over 40 programme meetings with OHID and the pilot sites
  • Delivery a programme of extensive communication and engagement activity to promote and recruit Trusts to the Community of Practice
  • Establishment, development and promotion the FutureNHS platform to include resources, good practice and opportunity for discussion
  • Production of an interactive map on tableau to understand where the Community of Practice sites and Active Hospitals work across the country

Active Hospitals Infographic

The Outcome

  • We successfully delivered a national two-year pilot across all 4 pilot sites
  • Physical activity has been embedded into 16 clinical and staff wellbeing pathways
  • A FuturesNHS platform is in place
  • A Community of Practice has been established with membership from 24 Acute Trusts
  • A sustainability plan is in place for the programme

Read our final report in our publications section here

Read about balloon tennis and seated cycling getting patients moving on North Tyneside hospital ward

“In terms of our working relationship with the TU, we felt that we developed a very positive relationship with the team. They produced all the deliverables they were contracted to, but also went beyond this by producing additional material or insight that they identified would be valuable to the project. They were always quick to respond to ad hoc requests and queries from both our team and the hospitals sites.  It has been a pleasure working with the TU team and we would not hesitate to recommend them to other organisations.”

Programme Manager, OHID



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