Making Movement Part of the Conversation

Pennine GP Alliance (PGPA) launched a new pilot project earlier this year to explore how conversations about physical activity can be made a routine part of GP consultations.

To help make that happen, a tool called the General Practitioner Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPPAQ) was introduced to the Personalised Care team. It’s a simple, validated way to find out how active someone is and to spark a chat about what might help them move a little more.

The idea is to see whether the GPPAQ works well for both practitioners and patients — and if not, to find something that does. Either way, one thing’s certain: more conversations about physical activity are happening, and that’s a positive step forward.

From idea to action

The pilot kicked off in May 2025, after plenty of prep work behind the scenes. That included researching the GPPAQ, setting up data collection with the PGPA team, creating a full guide for practitioners, and training up everyone involved.

Seven practitioners are now using the GPPAQ with all new referrals — testing it out in real-life situations and gathering insights to shape future practice.

In the long run, the hope is to find the best way to make movement a natural part of every consultation, helping people across Calderdale to live more active, healthier lives.

Voices from the pilot

Libby Watson-Long, Social Prescribing Link Worker for Lower Valley PCN, has been part of the pilot from the start. She shared how it’s going so far:

“Having used the GPPAQ before on a weight management project, I was happy to get involved again.

My first few patients had quite complex needs, so setting movement goals wasn’t always appropriate right away. But even then, the conversations opened doors. One patient talked about their dream to get a dog and go walking, a lovely goal to work towards.

I really believe physical activity should be something we talk about routinely. Even personally, it’s made me think about my own habits, I’ve recently dug out my smartwatch and now stretch like a lunatic during the day!”

What’s Next

Over the coming months, the PGPA and Calderdale Personalised Care Team will review the results and decide on the best way forward. Whether it’s sticking with the GPPAQ or finding something new, the aim stays the same — to make moving more part of everyday life and every conversation.