STAFF at an Andover medical centre are striving to ‘practice what they preach’ in a bid to encourage residents to make healthier lifestyle choices.

Adelaide Medical Centre has launched a ‘prevention strategy’ which has seen it introduce a variety of healthy living schemes among its staff.

The practice, which was taken over by new management in September 2020 after being at risk of closure, recently celebrated hitting 10,000 patients and hopes its new regime will have a knock-on effect on preventing illness among its patients.

Steps include sponsoring and participating in the Parkrun event in Andover, creating a staff netball team, purchasing an electric bike which staff can use for home visits, and introducing a cycle to work scheme.

The management team have also introduced healthier snacks into the staff room, and are working to develop their outdoor space to allow team members to enjoy a break in the fresh air. They have also noticed that many members of staff have started attending the gym together outside of work since the prevention strategy began.

SEE ALSO: Andover medical centre celebrates reaching 10,000 patients as takeover success boosts growth

Managing partner Dr Philip Heiden said: “We want people to have an active lifestyle. That could mean different things to different people. We want to give advice to patients, but also to practice what we preach. We have to start with our own staff because if we can’t promote it internally, we will have a massive problem promoting it externally.”

Dr Paul O’Halloran, managing partner, added that, as well as medications, doctors at the centre are actively discussing lifestyle and exercise with patients who present with conditions including hyper-tension, diabetes and depression.

Adelaide has already begun collaborating with other organisations in its initiative, but Dr O’Halloran added that “long term, we would like to be involved in the development of Andover so that they are actively building cycle lanes and places to walk and push prams”.

Dr Heiden continued: “We’re not talking about strenuous exercise and the same diet for everyone. We know everyone has different goals. What we are saying is that if you currently do zero, a fifteen-minute walk would be ideal - that’s more than you are doing now.

“We would also like to hear about groups that our patients are involved in, and how we can help promote or support those.”

The team hopes that, by sharing their patients’ stories, they will encourage others to take positive steps in their own lives.

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