About this role
Job summary
Are you passionate about improving health and wellbeing through physical activity? Would you like to help tackle inequalities in physical activity levels and support healthcare professionals to integrate this into patient care? If so, this is your opportunity to make a difference in Solihull.
We are seeking a Place-Based Physical Activity Clinical Champion (PACC) to join an exciting Sport England-funded initiative piloting a place-based approach to the national PACC training programme. This role will focus on organising and delivering clinician-to-clinician training, empowering healthcare professionals to promote physical activity as a key intervention for the prevention and management of long-term health conditions.
This is a part time role, up to 15 hours per week.
This is an initial one-year fixed term contract, with the possibility of an extension for a second year.
We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role.
Main duties of the job
As a PACC, you will
Organise and deliver free face-to-face or online training sessions for healthcare professionals in Solihull
Increase awareness of the importance of physical activity within clinical pathways
Help develop and refine this new role, contributing to the long-term success of the programme in Solihull
Influence the healthcare system by building relationships across the Solihull healthcare system and developing professional networks, including, if required, a local online community of practice
Represent the needs of healthcare partners to inform the local lifestyle and prevention offer
Understand opportunities to be active locally and support healthcare professionals to signpost to them.
About us
About You
We are looking for clinicians who are
Currently clinically active within Solihull
Passionate about physical activity as a key tool for improving health outcomes
Experienced in healthcare delivery and confident delivering peer-to-peer training
Skilled in collaboration and building relationships with stakeholders
Knowledgeable about the challenges and opportunities in promoting physical activity
Proactive, innovative, and eager to contribute to a ground-breaking pilot programme.
SoliHealth is the GP Provider Alliance of all six Primary Care Networks (PCNs) in Solihull. Established in 2018 it delivers clinical services and projects across Solihull and supports at scale working of all GP practices in the locality.
Job description Job responsibilities
PURPOSE OF POST
The Physical Activity Clinical Champion (PACC) programme is an evidence-based initiative within the Moving Medicine Programme. It provides free, specialised and progressive training to healthcare providers on integrating physical activity (PA) conversations into standard patient care. Currently this is delivered nationwide by a number of physical activity champions. Solihull has been selected as a pilot site to test a place-based approach to learning and embedding PA conversations into everyday practice.
The Place-Based Physical Activity Clinical Champion (PACC) for Solihull will lead the delivery of clinician-to-clinician training for healthcare professionals. This training will focus on the role of physical activity in the prevention and management of long-term conditions, with a particular emphasis on mental health. The PACC will also support and enable healthcare professionals to embed physical activity conversations within routine practice as a key intervention for improving health outcomes.
Supported by a national team, experienced mentors and strong infrastructure, this role offers an exciting opportunity to contribute to a Sport England project evaluating a place-based approach to a highly valued national training programme. The place-based PACC will work closely with Primary Care Networks in Solihull, Solihull Councils Public Health team, and the national PACC team. They will play a key part in growing the presence and impact of the PACC programme locally, by developing professional networks, increasing awareness of physical activity within the health system, and addressing health inequalities through strategic collaboration.
CONTEXT
Physical inactivity contributes significantly to the prevalence of chronic conditions and health inequalities. PACC training was initially developed as part of the Moving Healthcare Professionals Programme, run by Sport England and Public Health England (now OHID). In June 2023, a consortium consisting of The Advanced Wellbeing Research Centre, Sheffield, Faculty of Sport and Exercise Medicine UK and Intelligent Health began a transition phase to take over the support and running of the programme to enable a sustainable ongoing platform for the future.
Solihull faces a range of health challenges. People living in the least deprived areas can expect to live 10 years longer than those living in the most deprived areas. This gap is largely driven by higher mortality rates from circulatory disease, cancer, respiratory illnesses, and other preventable or modifiable conditions, particularly among men aged 4079. Solihull also has a substantial population level need relating to overweight and obesity, inactivity, lifestyle behaviours, and lifestyle-related disease. Currently, 28.1% of adults and 33.3% of children in Solihull are physically inactive, while 55.9% of adults and 31.6% of children are overweight or obese. This equates to an estimated 112,601 residents, over half the population living with some form of lifestyle-related need.
This project has been initiated by Solihull Active Minds (SAM) which is a partnership group comprising Solihull Council Public Health, Think Active, Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health Foundation Trust, and Colebridge Trust. SAM aims to bring about system change to increase opportunities and support for residents to improve their physical and mental wellbeing, through integrated mental health and
physical activity pathways. SAM fosters change through co-production, collaboration, and distributive leadership, grounded in shared culture and values that model inclusive, system-wide transformation.
This role operates within a partnership model. SoliHealth will be the employing organisation and will provide day-to-day management, supervision and employment support. The post holder will also work closely with the SAM group, which will provide strategic direction, system leadership and guidance to support delivery of the programme's objectives. This matrix approach will ensure the PACC is supported both operationally and strategically across the wider health and prevention system.
SoliHealth is the GP Provider Alliance of all six Primary Care Networks (PCNs) in Solihull. Established in 2018 it delivers clinical services and projects across Solihull and supports at scale working of all GP practices in the locality.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:
Responsibility Area
Key Duties
Estimated % of Role
Clinical Education & Leadership
Deliver online or in person PACC training to NHS and community healthcare professionals across Solihull (prioritising mental health teams).
Provide clinical leadership and advocacy for physical activity in the prevention and management of long-term conditions, improving the awareness, knowledge and confidence of peers.
Adapt and tailor training sessions to meet the needs of different healthcare professional cohorts and settings.
Ensure physical activity is seen as part of wider holistic approach to healthy active lifestyles
40%
Stakeholder
Engagement &
Community of Practice
Build partnerships with NHS Trusts, primary care networks, community health teams, local public health leads and Birmingham and Solihull Integrated Care System.
Promote the PACC programme and training opportunities to key stakeholders and clinical networks.
Develop a local online community of practice to share knowledge and support continued learning.
30%
System Integration & Collaboration
Work closely with partners to gain local insight, identify target areas to focus on reducing health inequalities,
Co-develop communications and promotional materials where needed.
Understand and integrate local pathways within the training offer, to actively encourage healthcare professionals to utilise local physical activity pathways (E.g. DocSpot and Solihull Healthy Lifestyle Service)
Feedback the needs of primary care to inform the active lifestyles and prevention offer with Solihull.
10%
Evaluation and Impact
Support the evaluation of the programme by collecting training and delivery data, ensuring timely completion of forms for each training session.
Evaluate delivery of the PACC training to demonstrate its value and effectiveness, provide data feedback to partners (including PCNs, the SAM group, and Public Health), and support the ongoing evaluation and refinement of the local PACC model based on training feedback and health outcomes.
Contribute to evaluation and impact reporting, by measuring impact of training, engagement, partnership working, system integration and other factors that affect the success and impact of the project.
10%
Contribution to National
Programme
Contribute to national PACC meetings, networks, and governance structures.
Share best practices and local insights with regional and national teams to inform the scaling of the place-based model.
10%
Person Specification
Qualifications Essential
Qualified, registered and clinically active healthcare professional in Solihull
Mobility Essential
Willing and able to travel across Solihull
Competencies, Personal Qualities & Attributes Essential
Exceptional online teaching and presentation skills, able to engage an audience and deliver information in an interesting way. Must be able to prioritise own work effectively. Must be an effective organiser, influencer and networker. Must be willing to build relationships and engage with new stakeholders in order to actively promote and organise sessions when needed. Must be able to use initiative to decide relevant actions and make recommendations to the SAM group with the aim of improving deliverables. Confident using IT systems, in particular MS Teams and SharePoint, and willing to adapt to new software if and when needed. An understanding of and experience of working within Solihulls geographical location An understanding of and commitment to equality of opportunity and good working relationships.
Desirable
Understanding of Motivational Interviewing techniques
Competencies, Personal Qualities & Attributes Essential
Exceptional online teaching and presentation skills, able to engage an audience and deliver information in an interesting way. Must be able to prioritise own work effectively. Must be an effective organiser, influencer and networker. Must be willing to build relationships and engage with new stakeholders in order to actively promote and organise sessions when needed. Must be able to use initiative to decide relevant actions and make recommendations to the SAM group with the aim of improving deliverables. Confident using IT systems, in particular MS Teams and SharePoint, and willing to adapt to new software if and when needed. An understanding of and experience of working within Solihulls geographical location An understanding of and commitment to equality of opportunity and good working relationships.
Desirable
Understanding of Motivational Interviewing techniques
Experience Essential
Experience of working in a range of clinical settings and demonstrates good clinical decision-making skills. Experience of developing staff development and education programmes Experience of working with staff across a range of disciplines and levels Experience of delivering training Knowledge of health care system Understanding of health improvement programmes and their implementation Proven knowledge of role of physical activity as a tool for primary and secondary prevention, and management of long-term conditions. Understanding of the background to and aims of current healthcare policy and appreciate the implications of this on engagement. Evidence of leadership/management development Member of relevant professional body Evidence of continuing personal development
Desirable
Knowledge of principles and practice of public health including health needs assessment and evidence-based strategies to address health inequalities Practice Teacher Qualification or relevant teaching experience within a clinical area. Experience of formal classroom and clinical based teaching Mentorship qualification
Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Essential
A demonstrable understanding of equality, diversity and inclusion with evidence of personal impact in these areas.
Disclosure and Barring Service Check This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Employer details Employer name Solihealth Limited
Address Hurst Lane Clinic
Hurst Lane North
Castle Bromwich
West Midlands
B36 0EY
United Kingdom
Employer's website https://solihealth.org/ (Opens in a new tab)