Physical Activity Pathways in Healthcare

Being active and reducing your time spent sedentary (not moving) has many benefits.

It can help:

  • keep your heart healthy
  • lower the chance of getting cancer
  • lower the chance of chronic health conditions like type 2 diabetes
  • improve your mood
  • improve your sleep

The World Health Organisation’s (WHO) Global Action Plan on Physical Activity (GAPPA) advises countries to use a systems-based approach to increase physical activity levels across their populations.

For the HSE, this means:

  • helping healthcare workers talk to service users about physical activity and encourage them to be more active
  • supporting managers and staff to create workplaces that encourage physical activity

Read tips on how to fit physical activity into your day
Find information on local facilities and amenities in your area - getirelandactive.ie

Publications

Every Move Counts - National Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour Guidelines

These guidelines help people in health, education, social care, sport, and local government understand how physical activity improves health. It encourages them to promote it and also gives advice to help people be more active for better health.

Every Move Counts National Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour Guidelines for Ireland - gov.ie

Let’s Get Active Guidelines to support Mental Health Service Users engage in Physical Activity

These guidelines help mental health staff show the benefits of physical activity as therapy. They also provide tools to encourage service users to add physical activity to their daily routines.

Let’s Get Active (PDF, 5.7 MB, 48 pages)

Podcasts

Episode 19 - HSE Active Workplaces

This episode talks about the health benefits of active workplaces, the importance of physical activity and movement breaks throughout the workday.

Listen to episode 19 - HSE Active Workplaces (video) 

Episode 41 - Active Lifestyles for People with Disabilities  

In this episode, Active Disability Ireland talk about their efforts to promote active lifestyles for people with disabilities. They discuss programmes like Active Healthy Me and the Sport Inclusion Disability Charter.

Listen to episode 41 - Active Lifestyles for People with Disabilities (video)

Episode 68 - Physical Activity Guidelines 

This episode focuses on Ireland's national guidelines for physical activity and reducing sedentary behaviour. It looks at their importance, updates from previous guidelines, and specific recommendations for different groups, including people with disabilities.

Listen to episode 68 - Physical Activity Guidelines (video)

Training and Programmes

carePALs  

A 2-day training course for staff in day and residential services for older adults. It teaches how to include physical activity in daily routines.

Find out more about carePALs training - ageandopportunity.ie
Contact: maire.murphy@ageandopportunity.ie

Active Healthy Me  

A blended learning program for staff in adult disability day services. It teaches staff how to run a physical activity and healthy lifestyle program.

Find out more about the Active Healthy Me programme - activedisability.ie
Contact: info@activedisability.ie

Delivering Evidence Based Physical Activity Behaviour Change in Primary Care and Community Settings

An online education programme designed to provide healthcare professionals in Ireland with the knowledge, skills, and expertise to help patients start and maintain physical activity through behavior change support.

For more information contact: info@nipc.ie 

Wellbeing through physical pctivity

A 1-day in-person training for primary school teachers. It helps promote physical activity throughout the school day using a whole-school approach.  The in-person training is approved for sub cover by the Department of Education.

Find out more information and register for the training - register.enthuse.com

Resources

Get Up, Get Dressed, Get Moving

A national campaign to promote independence. It aims to include early and continuous movement in health and social care practices

Get Up, Get Dressed, Get Moving

Physical activity referral pathway

This document outlines an assessment and referral pathway to support mental health service users engage with physical activity.

physical activity referral pathway (PDF, 65KB, 1 page)

Physical activity resources for primary school teachers  

Training and resources to help increase children’s participation in physical activity during the school day.  

Physical activity resources for primary school teachers

Physical activity resources for post primary school teachers

Training and resources to help increase young people’s participation in physical activity during the school day.

Physical activity resources for post primary school teachers

Steps to health challenge

Resources to help with delivering the annual steps to health initiative.  This workplace programme aims to raise awareness of the health benefits of physical activity.

Steps to Health Challenge

Cycle to work scheme  

Information on the cycle to work scheme for HSE staff.

Cycle to Work Scheme

Printed resources

There are some printed resources available from Health Promotion.

These include:


HSE exercise videos


Research

Understanding the needs and experiences of individuals at risk of and living with chronic disease

The aim of this study was to understand what individuals at risk of or living with CD want from an interaction with a healthcare professional (HCP) to help them become or stay physically active.

This study aims to understand what people at risk of or living with CD want from healthcare professionals. It focuses on how to help them stay or become active.

It also explores what a support pathway might look like, including:

  • signposting
  • referral methods
  • using a digital platform