Prescription Fitness

What has the storm over the Government’s proposed NHS reforms got to do with the fitness industry?

There are some serious discussions to be had about what the Coalition wants to do to the NHS but for us in the fitness industry, the proposals provide a massive opportunity.

In a couple of years time GP’s will hold the purse strings. They will decide where to send patients and where to spend the money.

What is the single most urgent and effective thing that people need to do to improve their health and reduce the risk of disease? We all know the answer is ‘exercise’. What is more 85% of the population visit their GP at least once a year and increasingly GP’s are going to be pressurised to get them to exercise. And there is our opportunity.

The fitness sector has what the population needs in order to be healthy. GPs are going to have to recommend exercise more and more to get people fit. And if that needs money, the GPs will have it in their pot.

There’s never been a more important time to get to know our local doctors and persuade them of the benefits we, as an industry, can bring to people; to keep them well, to keep them out of hospital and if they do get ill, to help them recover more quickly. It is a win win situation!

Dr John Searle (OBE), FIA Chief Medical Officer

Introducing Ageing and Rehabilitation - “Untapped Markets” Seminar series…

One in four people born today will live to be over 100.

Based on current trends that number is set to rise by nearly 60% over the next 25 years.

With these stats in mind, isn’t it staggering to think that we, as an industry, don’t have more of a targeted and powerful strategy to engage with this ever-burgeoning demographic?

The guy who knows this market better than anyone is David Sinclair, Head of Policy and Research at the UK International Longevity Centre, and one of our speakers at the upcoming seminar – “Untapped Markets: Ageing and Rehabilitation” sponsored by BalanceMaster. David will be setting the scene of the current and projected demographics that could essentially be your future members.

Not only will the seminar show you where these gaps in the market lie, but our expert speakers and Chair, FIA’s Executive Director David Stalker, will show you how to engage with them.

Dr John Searle (FIA CMO), Bob Laventure (Consultant to the British Heart Foundation National Centre for Physical Activity and Health) and David Smith (GB Athlete) will also be providing valuable contributions.

This is the latest in the FIA’s new line of topical seminars. With a few places remaining on the seminars (taking place in Luton and Birmingham at the end of this month).

I look forward to seeing you there and learning together how we can work together to get these groups moving.

To book your place click here, or just give me a tinkle!

Hayley Bevan

Events and Sponsorship Manager
Email – Hayley@fia.org.uk
Twitter - @hayleybevan