A West Midlands “Fit for the Future” Janet Baker Deputy Regional Director of Public Department of Health – West Midlands “Take Your Partners” PAN-WM Annual Conference, 27 th March 2007

The challenges for the West Midlands The emerging structures for physical activity Regional strategy and its impacts on physical activity Regional priorities What progress has been made A challenge for the future 5 top tips

The Challenge for the West Midlands

Regional & National Comparison

Highest participation local authority areas Stafford (26%) Warwick (25%) Stratford-on- Avon (24%) Shrewsbury and Atcham (24%) Malvern Hills(23%) West Midlands – regular participation (3 days 30 minutes a week) Lowest participation local authority areas Sandwell (15%) Stoke-on-Trent (16%) Walsall (16%) Wolverhampton (16%) Dudley (17%) Birmingham(17%)

Health Challenges in the West Midlands Life expectancy in the West Midlands ranges from 73.3 yrs near Birmingham New Street to yrs in Lichfield Trent Valley. Higher than average levels of CHD & Cancer 27% of men and 26% women smoked in 2003, 2/3rds would like to quit 23% of men and 29% of women are obese 15.8% of children are obese 18% of people were found to have a likely mental health problem (RLS 2005) Statistics taken from the Choosing Health in the West Midlands report

Challenges & Targets Nationally Sport England have an aspiration to increase the proportion taking part in moderate intensity sport and active recreation on at least 3 days a week for 30 minutes by 1% a year – and to narrow the inequalities in participation This will result in an additional 2 million people from priority groups regularly participating in sport and active recreation in England by 2012 In the West Midlands the aspiration equates to 195,960 additional adult participants by 2012 (a growth of 32,660 a year) Increasing Active Living, Play and Active Travel may be harder to measure but are key to driving up physical activity levels

Moving towards an active region 32,660 adults more active each year 163 people more active through Parish Path Partnerships (based on 200 PPP) 65 people more active per GP Practice (based on 500 Practices) 116 people more active per public sports/leisure centre 13 parents more active at every school

The Emerging Structure West Midlands Physical Activity Network Sub groups to Network – Exercise Referral, Research etc. County Sports Partnerships LA’s Voluntary sector West Midlands Strategic Group for Physical Activity West Midlands Regional Assembly WMRA Health Partnership Regional Sports Board Obesity Task Group Other Regional Partnerships Transport, Environment, Culture NGB’s PCTs Community Sport and Activity Networks Government Office West Midlands Departments 2012 Leadership & Advisory Groups Other regional partnerships; TravelWise, Youth Dance, Cycling etc

Working in Partnership Families and Communities Local Strategic Partnerships Local Authorities Leisure services Employers & Workplaces NHS Regional Plan for Sport in the West Midlands

Regional Strategies & Physical Activity Regional Spatial Strategy Regional Economic Strategy Regional Housing Strategy Regional Cultural Strategy Regional Forestry Framework Regional Plan for Sport Regional Health and Well- Being Strategy

Influencing Regional Partners Challenges Physical Activity is everyone's and no ones challenge Cross Cutting Agendas Targets Opportunities Knowledge of key players – GOWM, WMRA, Sport England, AWM, Culture West Midlands, RAWM Recognise agendas of others and align physical activity to this National Ministerial Lead on Cross Government work on Physical Activity PAN-WM The Delivery System for Sport Active Travel, Play, Countryside & Dance infrastructure 2012

Taking Advantage of Regional Developments PAN-WM providing a Regional Voice for Physical Activity Delivery System for Sport – get involved Respond to strategy and policy consultation – it matters! 2 way communication from region to local and vice versa through delivery system for sport, PAN-WM, Regional Travel groups. Networking opportunities Sharing of information Use knowledge to influence local Policy & Strategy

Regional Priorities – Physical Activity Increasing physical activity levels in children and Young people – especially at key “drop out” times (primary & secondary school transitions and post secondary school) Increasing activity levels in the most sedentary Developing an active workforce Active Ageing Improved Monitoring and Evaluation Decreasing barriers to being active for priority groups Meeting PSA Targets – Sport, PE, Obesity, Green and Open Space

Choosing Health: Choosing Activity – An update 100 commitments stated in the Choosing Activity: physical activity action plan (2005) At the last count 59 of these had been met in their entirety (early 2007) Continued commitment to deliver across Region

Moving Forwards 9 LAA’s with Sport/physical activity/leisure targets 6 CSP’s developing CSN’s PAN-WM operational Plethora of programmes Met 2006 PESSCL target – 75% schools providing 2 hours of quality P.E. Met 2006 Healthy Schools Target Met 2006 RSS School Travel Target (40% of schools to have travel plans) 18 PCT’s developing physical activity programmes (PCT Audit 2006) 2 LA’s awarded BLF funding for Play Strategies – rest developing Regional Portfolio gone forward to stage 2 of BLF Well Being fund £3.3 million awarded in CIF funding (Sport England) 24 Active England Projects running £9.8 million awarded through Active England Programme (Capital & Revenue)

The Challenge If we meet the 1% increase PSA target and so does every other region – we will still be the least active region. If we exceed the 1% increase target – we may not be the least active region! If we decrease the % of people doing no activity have we succeeded? To not be the least Active Region by 2009/10 This is our real challenge!!

5 Top Tips Understand each other’s agendas and show how your agenda enables/aids them to meet their’s Take opportunities to influence Regional & Local Policy & Strategy – It matters! Strength in numbers! Sharing information & Networking will be key to meeting targets Strive to not just meet but exceed targets Be realistic – recognise the challenge and the resources needed to overcome it.

Thank you for listening Any Questions?