The Department of Health (DH)
commissioned Capita Symonds to explore the development of
a strategic partnership with Natural England’s Walking for Health
(WfH) programme. DH’s primary objective was to encourage the
promotion of physical activity through National led health walking
programmes.
The challenge
The project required the development
of a Strategic Case for Investment outlining options for delivery
of DH’s strategic objectives and targets for physical activity.
Targeted health outcomes, sustainability and wider environment
issues needed to be tackled cohesively to enable objectives shared
by DH and Natural England to be met.
The solution
Initially, Capita
Symonds held a meeting with DH and Natural England to review
project goals and objectives. We also undertook a month long
consultation exercise with DH and Natural England staff. This
involved engaging people at all levels within Natural England and
meeting with staff employed by Primary Care Trusts, Local
Authorities and voluntary organisations, as well as meeting with
volunteer walk leaders and health walkers. Inventures provided
regular updates, enabling the scope of the project and required
outcomes to be reviewed and modified as required.
Following an options appraisal, two
were carried forward in the financial analysis. Both options
required a significant financial investment by the DH. The options
were:
- 2-fold growth that will deliver a
projection of 65,646 walkers participating in a health walk per
week
- 4-fold growth that will deliver a
projection of 131,292 walkers participating in a health walk per
week
We were successful in making the
case for need sufficiently robust that DH invested in a 4-fold
increase. A direct result being that the partnership will
significantly expand the Walking for Health scheme, establishing
stronger links with primary care and other partners.
The benefits
Key benefits of a DH/NE
Partnership:
- DH is able to “hit the ground
running” with an immediate increase in levels of physical
activity.
- WfH is owned and delivered
locally
- WfH has established local
partnerships and credibility, with the ability to attract
additional partners
- WfH has a well known and recognised
brand
- WfH is a volunteer-led
programme.
- Maximising potential to link with
Vascular Screening programme through Physical Activity Pathway
- Capitalising on opportunities to link
with Change4Life Programme
- Ability to link to the Governments
Sustainable Transport Strategy
- Improvement if the social and mental
well being of the general population
- Adherence to the NICE public health
guidance on physical activity, providing benefits to mental health
and wellbeing for older people
- More people being active in the
Natural Environment
- Ability to reach those with existing
long term conditions
- Delivery towards achieving walking
targets
Through the Case for Investment,
Capita Symonds provided DH with the basis for moving forward in
negotiations with Natural England. The Case for Investment also
outlined governance and management efficiencies for return on
investment. The WfH Case for Investment, through DH, has the
potential to reach out to many organisations: Local Authorities,
Primary Care Trusts, GP Alliance, other walking bodies, NICE
etc. We were subsequently asked to present the final
aspects of the report to a joint Board of Directors from DH and
Natural England.