Enhancing lives through physical activity

Essex Public Health and Essex County Council Adult Social Care (ASC)Teams have launched a pioneering Early Help and Prevention service which aims to harness the power of physical activity to improve the lives of people in Essex. Called “Reconnect”, the programme introduces a preventative approach to health and social care, helping alleviate the pressure on the NHS through the provision of community-based services that prevent, delay and reduce the need for statutory, clinical services.

The scheme will utilise an evidence-based occupational therapy-led model to support people with learning needs and/or disabilities, autism, long-term health conditions, physical disabilities and sensory impairments – as well as their carers.

Councillor John Spence, Cabinet Member for Health, Social Care and Integration, says: “Thebenefits from being physically active are well documented. Our successful trial programme has now demonstrated the major role physical activity can play in increasing the confidence and independence of people living with a disability or long-term health condition. The introduction of Reconnect is genuinely pioneering work, building on previous programmes and supporting residents’ health and wellbeing. By enabling people to live more independently, and therefore have less need for health and care services, this is a real win-win for Essex.”

The service will be community-based and will use physical activity as a tool to build and maintain physical, mental and emotional wellbeing. With a person-centred and holistic approach at its core, the service aims to empower individuals to achieve their goals and lead fulfilling lives.

Reconnect builds upon the success of the Prevention and Enablement Model (PEM); a pioneering Active Essex local delivery pilot and learning initiative, set up in partnership with ASC and occupational therapy specialist, Sport for Confidence.

Utilising a whole systems approach within health and adult social care, the pilot was able to support individuals to access physical activity in their local community, with the support of an Allied Health Professional. It also demonstrated self- reported increases in confidence, independence, and social connections, as well as deliver £58.72 of social value for every £1 invested.

Essex County Council has now appointed Sport for Confidence to deliver Reconnect, with the help of a consortium of community partners.

Lyndsey Barrett, founder of Sport for Confidence, said: “This is a huge step change in preventative health delivery.

“Whilst Sport For Confidence has had a long- standing positive relationship with Essex County Council, this is the first time Essex County Council has procured a service of this nature, positioning occupational therapists as innovators using physical activity for individual and social transformation, able to work across, sport, health and social care and have a key role in the prevention agenda.

“For many years, Sport for Confidence has been pioneering and evidencing the therapeutic benefits of sport and physical activity, especially for those who have the potential to gain most from being active but struggle to access meaningful opportunities.

“In 2020, we worked with Essex County Council Adult Social Care, Active Essex and a wider consortium of community partners to deliver the Prevention and Enablement Model, a 2-year test and learn pilot, initially funded by Sport England, that studied the impact of a whole system approach to adult social health and social care. The evidence was overwhelmingly positive. Outcomes, independently compiled and verified by the University of Essex, confirmed that embedding physical activity into a whole system approach to adult health and social care could deliver £58.72 of social value per £1 invested.

“Evidencing the commercial and holistic case for introducing a more supportive and preventative approach to adult health and social care laid the foundations for a new county-wide approach.

Our approach enables a much earlier intervention focused on prevention and support

This created therapeutic physical activity opportunities to drive occupational outcomes that result in heath, happiness and life satisfaction.

“Occupational therapists are the experts in the ‘activity-health’ links and are dual trained in mental health and physical disability. Our approach enables a much earlier intervention focused on prevention and support, while also alleviating the pressure on the more traditional clinical pathway to services.”

The Reconnect program will see Essex County Council and Sport For Confidence deliver equity of access across the county with expansion of Sport for Confidence services into West Essex.

Jeanette Bain-Burnett, Executive Director Policy and Integrity, Sport England, says: “The Reconnect programme will create a fully integrated physical activity pathway which ultimately supports good health, while preventing ill health.”