WINNER - The Health Disability Activity Partnership

Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board

Research in 2018 found that 23% of disabled adults and 47% of disabled children participate in physical activity three or more times a week. This indicates a positive engagement picture, but also means that a large proportion of disabled adults and children are NOT doing enough physical activity to positively impact their health. There is significant opportunity for disabled people to be involved with clubs and sessions in Wales, but enhancing awareness around opportunities, supporting motivation to attend and establishing confidence continues to create an equality gap both within sport and within health.

A pilot was established by Health Disability Activity Partnership (HDAP) to explore how Disability 'sport' and Health could work together to better support disabled people to improve their levels of physical activity. Working with a range of stakeholders, the HDAP sought to develop a strong partnership model and a successful social prescribing pathway. The key central aims of the project were to increase the numbers of physically active disabled people across Wales, create a robust partnership between Health Boards and Local Authority Sport Development teams, deliver a National Pathway that supports health care professionals to signpost disabled people towards physical activity opportunities in their communities, and to decrease disabled people’s requirement for medical intervention as a consequence of ill-health linked to physical inactivity.

The pilot ran for three years, leading to a co-produced Pathway and the design of an up-skilling session. 1190 health professionals were up-skilled, and 560 disabled people signposted. A Social Return on Investment Analysis identified that for every £1 investment, £124 of social return was realised. Alongside the wider results, four talented athletes were identified who then went on to compete for Wales.

Now that the partnership and pathway is established nationally, the plan is to continue to deliver up-skilling sessions across each Health Board, and work towards embedding the HDAP as part of everyday practice.