If Movement is Medicine, Swimming should be on prescription!

Swimming and other aquatic activities have huge benefits for health and wellbeing. People of all ages and communities can experience the health and wellbeing benefits of aquatic activity and swimming, derived from the unique properties of water.

• For people with back or lower limb problems or obesity the low impact of swimming can make it an ideal mode of exercise, and charities such as Versus Arthritis recommend it

• In preparation for undergoing surgery, exercise such as swimming can significantly reduce complications and the length of stay in hospital

• Swimming also gives proven reductions in frailty, falls, and osteoporosis. Together these cause 500 000 fragility fractures a year in the UK

• Significantly, swimming is estimated to prevent more than 20 000 cases of type 2 diabetes a year, saving the NHS a recurring cost of £103m

• A YouGov poll found that 1.4 million British adults with mental health difficulties said that swimming had reduced their symptoms of anxiety or depression

• An estimate for England claims that swimming and water activities generate £2.4bn of social value and prevents more than 78,500 cases of ill health each year

In this webinar, UKIHCA invites Andrew Power (Swim England Water Wellbeing Specialist), Dr Joanna Fleming (Health and Wellbeing Coach, South Warwickshire GP Federation) and Rachel Ashe (Managing Director, Mental Health Swims) to explain why aquatic activity is so beneficial for physical and mental health.

They will also outline the resources, training and support available to assist health practitioners to signpost clients to the range of accessible, inclusive and welcoming opportunities to get active in water.

You should attend if:

You are interested to learn about the real health benefits of swimming and aquatic activity but particularly if you are a health and wellbeing practitioner who should understand the benefits of swimming for individuals with a wide range of physical and mental health conditions.

The speakers will present evidence of the real health benefits of swimming and describe initiatives that deliver these results as well as explaining what resources are available for practitioners to ensure that any recommendations are appropriate, effective and safe for patients and clients.

Learning outcomes:

• Evidence of the real physical and mental health benefits to be gained from aquatic activity
• Awareness of existing programmes and initiatives that are safe and inclusive
• Understanding what aquatic activities are most appropriate for a range of health conditions
• Discover of a range of resources that can be accessed by health practitioners

About the speakers

Andrew Power - Swim England Water Wellbeing Specialist 

Andrew has been involved in exercise referral delivery, programme management and commissioning roles for over 20 years, led on Regional ‘Health and 2012’ action plans for the North East prior to London 2012 and the implementation of ‘A Physical Activity Strategy for County Durham’, also managing a £6m investment from Public Health and Sport England supporting people at risk of CVD and Type2 Diabetes to be more active in conjunction with the NHS Health Check programme. 

He has been involved in the skills agenda since the release of the NQAF for Exercise Referral Systems in 2001, chaired the North East Physical Activity Forum leading on programmes of CPD for the physical activity workforce and recently led on development of an Exercise for Long Term Neurological Conditions qualification for WRIGHT Foundation CIC. As Water Wellbeing Specialist at Swim England he manages the roll-out of a multi-component model of support for public and professionals, encouraging swimming and aquatic activity for people with long term health conditions and impairments across England. 

Dr Joanna Fleming - Health and Wellbeing Coach, South Warwickshire GP Federation 

Jo is an NHS Health and Wellbeing Coach for Leamington Primary Care Network, which includes 8 GP practices and 85,000 patients. She is a member of, and Physical Activity Ambassador for, UKIHCA. As well as one-to-one health coaching to primary care patients, Jo works alongside a Lifestyle GP to deliver group Lifestyle Clinics and activity sessions such as Run Talk Run, Walk Talk Walk and Swim Together.

Jo recently started incorporating both pool and open water swimming into her own life, and has reaped the physical and mental health benefits from doing so. She is passionate about enabling patients to discover how swimming can improve their own health and wellbeing, through her work in Leamington PCN. 

Rachel Ashe - Managing Director, Mental Health Swims 

Rachel Ashe is the founder and Managing Director of Mental Health Swims. She is a wild swimmer, mental health advocate and eternal optimist.  

 In 2019, she founded Mental Health Swims, an award-winning UK based organisation that celebrates the healing power of water and community. Back on dry land you’ll find her working with universities, mental health charities and environmental projects to champion kindness as the antidote to mental illness stigma.  
 

Rachel has written for Mind charity, Therapy today magazine and her advocacy work has been featured in The New York Times, BBC World service, vogue and Stylist. Rachel is AuDHD and lives with mental illness herself, she is passionate about social prescribing, empowering patients to find solace in the outdoors and campaigning to end mental illness stigma.