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Role of sport and exercise medicine in the NHS
Physical fitness is the general capacity to adapt and respond favorably to physical effort. Wellness is the search for enhanced quality of life, personal growth, and potential through positive lifestyle behaviors and attitudes. It is an active process of becoming aware of and making choices toward a more successful existence. Physical fitness and wellness are closely related and often interdependent. To live long and successful happy life, fitness and wellness is must. In recent times maintaining the physical fitness and wellness is the biggest challenge. Movement and physical activity are basic functions for which human organism was created. Advances in modern science and technology provide all amenities and conveniences that make our life easier and comfortable which almost eliminated the need of physical activity in most of every ones' daily life. At the same time handling such amenities creates lots of pressure and stress; affect our mental health, alertness and personal relationship. The progress of medical science led to elimination of most of common health problem. But the changing lifestyle increases the chronic health problems such as hypertension, diabetes, strokes etc. A fitness and wellness movement was taken place gradually at the end of the 20th century. People need to understand that good health is mostly self-controlled. Positive lifestyle could prevent leading causes of health and wellness problem. The fitness and wellness could be enhanced through participation in quality fitness and wellness program focused on enhancing the overall quality of life.
Aim Sport and exercise medicine (SEM) aims to manage sporting injuries and promote physical activity. This study explores general practitioners’ (GPs) awareness, understanding and utilisation of their local SEM services.
Design A questionnaire survey, including patient case scenarios, was administered between February and May 2011.
Participants and setting 693 GPs working in Cardiff and Vale, Leicester and Tower Hamlets were invited to participate.
Results 244 GPs responded to the questionnaire (35.2% response rate). Less than half (46%; 112/244) were aware of their nearest SEM service and only 38% (92/244) had a clear understanding on referral indications. The majority (82%; 199/244) felt confident advising less active patients about exercise. There were divergent management opinions about the case scenarios of patients who were SEM referral candidates. Overall, GPs were significantly more likely to refer younger patients and patients with sport-related problems rather than patients who would benefit from increasing their activity levels in order to prevent or manage chronic conditions (p<0.01). GPs with previous SEM training were significantly more likely to refer (p<0.01). The majority (62%; 151/244) had never referred patients to their local SEM clinics but of those who had 75% (70/93) rated the service as good.
Conclusions There is a lack of awareness and understanding among GPs on the role of SEM within the National Health Service which may be resulting in suboptimal utilisation especially for patients who could benefit from increasing their activity levels.
To investigate the opinions of general practitioners, orthopaedic surgeons, rheumatologists, sport and exercise medicine (SEM) registrars and public health consultants on training, caseload, the most appropriate setting and the position of SEM within the National Health Service (NHS) in the UK.
A cross-sectional questionnaire-based survey investigated the opinions of the above professionals from three primary care trusts and associated hospitals in London and Birmingham.
With a 50% response rate (n = 226), 93% (208/224) of participants felt that there was a role for SEM in the NHS. 56% (124/223) agreed that this role should be in both primary and secondary care. 64% (136/212) of participants felt that their practice would benefit from the input of a SEM physician and 95% (191/202) would consider referring patients to SEM services. 74% (165/222) agreed that SEM should have a public health role, and 63% (140/222) believed that these responsibilities should be evenly balanced with the treatment of sports injuries. Despite the emphasis on public health work from SEM policy makers, none of the SEM registrars selected public health as an important training area. 31% (44/140) of participants felt that a lack of education in the medical profession regarding SEM represented the greatest hindrance to its development in the NHS.
Several areas of agreement were demonstrated across the specialties, many of which matched the views of policy makers. This study involved participants from a range of cognate disciplines and was the first to investigate this issue since SEM was recognised as a specialty in 2005.
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