23 A sporting chance
Matter for discussion submitted by the RCN Health Visitors and Public Health Forum
That this meeting of RCN Congress discusses the opportunities for improving health in the UK in advance of the 2012 Olympics and the 2014 Commonwealth Games
Work led by the RCN Public Policy Committee.
The debate highlighted the many opportunities for improving the nation's health as a result of the London 2012 Olympics and the Commonwealth Games being held in Glasgow in 2014.
Making fundamental life style changes is very difficult for many people, particularly for those who, because of socio economic factors, are at increased risk of acquiring preventable long term conditions. While it is important for nurses to take all opportunities to work with people to help improve their health, the Olympics and the Commonwealth Games provide a renewed and rigorous ambition to bring health improvement to the nation.
The location of the Olympics and Commonwealth Games are areas where there is a disproportionate level of social deprivation and therefore ill health and premature death. Congress speakers suggested that children should be encouraged to take up sport in the lead up to these two great events.
Health, well-being and increased physical activity were used as part of the campaign to bring the Olympics to London and the UK is taking advantage of this achievement to campaign for healthier life styles.
Family health, particularly the life chances of children and young people is now high on the health department agendas of all four UK countries. For example, the recent Change 4 Life TV advertisement shown in England encourages families and young people to be more active and eat less fatty and sugar laden foods.
The English health reforms - Transforming Community Services - are ambitious and aim to improve public health, prevent disease, reduce health inequalities and enable people to be more responsible for maintaining their personal health.
The Kings Fund report, Kicking bad habits (2008) describes how social marketing techniques strengthen health messages and have more success in improving peoples' behaviour then traditional health promotion programmes.
The RCN is working with all government departments on their health promotion campaigns and initiatives. We have also begun to be involved in the 2012 Olympics health related initiatives.