Sam Crowe - Director of Public Health

Through our LiveWell Dorset service, we often find people are looking for support after being diagnosed with a range of long-term health conditions, such as Type 2 diabetes or raised blood pressure. Some of them want advice on getting active, having not had the opportunity to discuss with their GP things they can do to improve these conditions.

Instead, many find they are only prescribed medical interventions, such as blood pressure drugs, cholesterol reducing drugs or metformin for glucose control. Unfortunately, we know that our GP practices are stretched, so they sometimes simply don't have the time or resources to offer behavioural rather than medical support. Our system also works in a way where GPs are not rewarded for this work, instead the national payments system rewards prescribing. For many people, prescribing medication does work and it's right that our system works in a way that encourages this. But it feels like we are missing a trick when the evidence overwhelming suggests that for conditions such as diabetes and hypertension one of the most effective things you can do to reduce risks is to exercise more and improve your diet.

Getting active can have huge health and wellbeing benefits for all of us. But if you have a long-term health condition it can sometimes feel like this doesn't apply to you, especially when exercise is so often associated with gym memberships, taking part in sports, wearing certain clothes or taking on big physical challenges. That's why the message of the We Are Undefeatable campaign is so important. There is no one-size-fits-all approach, but doing some physical activity can make a big difference for those who are able to. It's all about moving more in whatever way works best for you. Just getting outdoors, walking more, dancing, cycling or taking the stairs are all great forms of exercise, and if you fit these in regularly, they can boost your chances of bringing down blood pressure, cholesterol and other important markers.

We often hear the quote "if physical activity was a pill, it would be the most prescribed drug on the market". But it's better than that. Physical activity is not a pill, and it also has added benefits like getting out of the house, connecting with our great outdoor spaces, and, if you make it a group activity, having the chance to catch up with friends.

Sam Crowe, Director of Public Health