Minutes:
Patsy Temple, the Public Health Specialist, presented the final behaviour change scoping report Getting Active and the proposed way forward for the implementation of the agreed Board priority of targeting 30-50 year olds both those employed and those on low incomes/unemployed who were currently active but who did less than 3x30 minutes of physical activity a week. Delivery of the priority was being developed through the Exeter Physical Activity Group, the minutes of the meeting of 4 June having been tabled.
Patsy reported that the data collected through the Sport England Active People Survey was the source providing comparable data at a district local authority level determining whether Exeter was the most active City in the south west was problematic because of the volatility of this data. The Active People Survey used a small sample size of 500 respondents at district local authority level and it was therefore vulnerable to a variety factors causing large fluctuations. Further, only two years of comparable data were available to pool for a more reliable measure – due to a recent widening of eligibility criteria. The use of further process outcomes measures to complement this headline measure was discussed.
A promotions led approach was proposed based on the 4 P’s of marketing : Product, Placement, Price and Promotion. This would be using existing physical activities providers delivering opportunities in the City, in a broad range of outdoor and indoor venues with the barriers for participating now understood for the target population through the scoping report.
It was proposed that the Exeter Physical Activity Group take forward the Getting Exeter Active priority with regular reporting to the Board. A physical activity framework would be developed for the City with the development of a physical activity strategy happening later in the year. A promotions led campaign would be undertaken with EXPAG developing and directing physical activity opportunities for the targeted group in the City with the allocation of public health grant monies to assist this.
The Board discussed the way forward and gave further consideration to the target audience. A Member felt strongly that the identified target group, to a certain degree, had easier access/opportunities to health/fitness initiatives and that the programme would therefore be developed at the expense of those with practically no resource, opportunity or motivation to improve their fitness levels. The latter group was acknowledged as one with a multitude of social problems covering issues such as stress, substance abuse, self harm, cyber-bullying and that these correlated with poverty with a clear disparity between this group and the identified target group.
Whilst recognising that there might be a ripple effect between the two groups there was acknowledgement that more direct action would be necessary, Simon Bowkett suggesting partnerships with organisation who work with disadvantaged groups and Virginia Pearson proposing a separate piece of market research be undertaken to encompass this group as a later stage of the project. Ultimately, the goal of increasing physical activity in the wider population would impact positively on the use of health services in the City. There was support for seeking to bridge the inequality gap between the two groups.
RESOLVED that:-
(1) the now established “Active Exeter Group” (Exeter Physical Activity Group) take forward the priority of Getting Exeter Active and develop the delivery plan;
(2) the next EXPAG meeting be used to develop a framework for physical activity in the City outlining the broad direction of travel for the next year and current thinking of key partners in the delivery of this e.g. the City Council, leisure providers, the Rugby World Cup legacy, Active Devon - this brief document to be developed with prior work from the Group’s Members via email;
(3) a physical activity strategy be developed through the EXPAG group with support from a strategic level later this year;
(4) the public health grant monies be used to “purchase” this brand development and marketing of “Getting Exeter Active” and for the establishment through the EXPAG group of additional physical activity opportunities to engage the target population segment;
(5) market research to be carried out with a different demographic (those from the most disadvantaged populations) at a later stage in the project; and
(6) an update report be submitted to the meeting of this Board on 11 November 2014.