Surgery staff take steps to improve health (From Daily Echo)
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Staff at Grove Medical Practice in Southampton take steps to improve health
10:30am Saturday 15th September 2012 in News By Echo Reporter
Staff at Grove Medical Practice in Shirley
PEDOMETER power is being used to get staff at a Southampton health centre healthier.
It is a fitness drive which has taken medics – from doctors to receptionists – at the Grove Medical Practice, Shirley , through more than 25 million steps on a virtual walk of Africa.
Wearing pedometers, 44 members of staff recorded 25,982,642 steps, clocking up 11,812 miles. To top up their fitness levels staff are now given 20 minutes three times a week to go on a walk.
Now health centre chiefs are making sure that their prescription for healthy living gets through to every patient and The Grove is staging an open day today from 2pm to 5pm.
Esme Ferguson, The Grove Centre’s wellness development consultant, says: “Our staff believe in the benefits of physical activity and the importance of passing that message onto our patients.”
“Our aim is to get across the message that the single most important thing you can do to improve your health is to increase your physical activity.”
“We aim to show local people how much is available on their doorstep and that getting active enough to improve your health is easier than you think.”
The nearby Freemantle Community Centre and Shirley Swimming Pool are also being used to spread the fitness message.
Taster sessions include ladies boxing, ladies netball, boys breakdancing, girls dance, tennis, seated Tai Chi, over 50s dance (seated and standing), health walks, Salsa dance classes, badminton and swimming by prescription. The fitness package, which is open to everyone, also includes free health checks, a bike smoothie and promotion of local physical activity initiatives.
The health centre’s website is gogrove.co.uk.
