KKP has been commissioned to deliver another interesting research assignment, working with the Department of Health (South East) to review providers of, and initiatives designed to increase, physical activity - targeted at improving quality and quantity of life for individuals and communities.

This project, in which the focus is on everyday activity and active recreation rather than purely on sport, is an excellent fit with the Company research portfolio. KKP will be delivering:

• An audit of existing plans and strategies that involve physical activity across all 17 primary care trusts.
• A similar audit across all 67 local authorities, county sports partnerships and other partner organisations.
• A critique/SWOT assessment of the region's physical activity delivery system. 
• An online, updatable GIS map of the South East's physical activity delivery system.
• A physical activity commissioning toolkit.
• A summary report drawing together all of the above and delivering recommendations for future priorities.

KKP's approach to the exercise offers separate but complementary elements, each designed to meet its own specific requirements. At the same time, it is fully cognisant of its contribution to SEPACT's wider objectives of promoting and supporting healthier lifestyles in keeping with the national ideology. This is in keeping with the philosophy of prevention rather than cure as outlined by initiatives such as Be Active, Be Healthy and Change 4 Life.

According to Be Active, Be Healthy, the economic cost of avoidable ill health runs into billions ; the estimated annual ‘costs' of obesity alone (nationally) are estimated to be around £8.3 billion every year;. This study will provide a baseline framework on which SEPACT can build to reduce these costs and improve the quality and length of life for individuals and their families.

The resultant data will be used to develop an information infrastructure that extends from strategic to operational level, will assist PCTs and their partner agencies to learn from and support each other, raises the profile of physical activity as a means of reducing NHS costs, improving economic activity and increasing productivity.

KKP is well placed to deliver this, bringing experience and background in health and physical activity related research. This work includes audits of provision, gap analysis, use of health and related data sources, workforce and skills assessment, cost/benefit evaluation, identification of models of good practice, use of GIS and the delivery of sustainable management information systems. Furthermore it complements a significant body of work already undertaken by the company and our appreciation of other initiatives driven by agencies such as Sport England and the county sports partnerships in the South East region.

This project is being led by Peter Millward, Principal Consultant at KKP, who heads the Company's research team. He said,

"I am impressed by the balance of energy and pragmatism in SEPACT's approach. This is not something we often see it is a real pleasure to be working with a client that has a real team ethos, where it is clear that all parties are working to achieve the same goal."