Personnel Today
  • OHW+
  • Join
  • Resources
    • Clinical governance
    • Disability
    • Ergonomics
    • Health surveillance
    • OH employment law
    • OH service delivery
    • Research
    • Return to work and rehabilitation
    • Sickness absence management
    • Wellbeing and health promotion
  • Conditions
    • Mental health
    • Musculoskeletal disorders
    • Blood pressure
    • Cancer
    • Cardiac
    • Dementia
    • Diabetes
    • Respiratory
    • Stroke
  • CPD
  • Webinars
  • OHW Awards
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today

Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • OHW+
  • Join
  • Resources
    • Clinical governance
    • Disability
    • Ergonomics
    • Health surveillance
    • OH employment law
    • OH service delivery
    • Research
    • Return to work and rehabilitation
    • Sickness absence management
    • Wellbeing and health promotion
  • Conditions
    • Mental health
    • Musculoskeletal disorders
    • Blood pressure
    • Cancer
    • Cardiac
    • Dementia
    • Diabetes
    • Respiratory
    • Stroke
  • CPD
  • Webinars
  • OHW Awards
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today

Health and safetyWellbeingOpinion

Ockey elf: Fitness bid sets pulses racing

by Personnel Today 30 Aug 2007
by Personnel Today 30 Aug 2007

Dear Readers, I write to you today in a rather worried state on account of yet another ‘initiative’ that has come to light.


Its sole purpose is to increase physical activity in order to reduce the risk of heart disease in the over-50s. The British Heart Foundation (BHF) calls the campaign ’30 a Day’, and before you reach for the ciggies, remember they were banned on 1 July! No, the idea is to encourage people to take 30 minutes of moderate exercise every day.


I can hear you all saying: ‘What’s wrong with that?’ At first glance the suggestion seems fairly reasonable – walking the dog, gardening and swimming. But SEX- I never thought I’d see the day.


GPs are being encouraged to use NHS funds to prevent chronic illness in later life. Now Ockey wouldn’t want to lead you astray here, but how on earth might such a scheme be managed and audited, and what lecherous individual thought it up in the first place? To go one step further, am I to assume that those with long-term conditions such as hypertension and diabetes will get the 30 minutes free along with other prescription items?


You won’t be surprised to hear that Patricia Hewitt is behind this one, because she wanted a ‘wider view’ to be taken in the delivery of healthcare. Well you’ll be pleased to hear that before she cleared her desk she set up the National Obesity Bureau (NOB), where all those deemed to be too cuddly would register in order to avail themselves of these flexible benefits.


Another issue here is why this level of flexibility is only available to the over-50s? Just as we’d all got used to being age positive the government does another athletic U-turn and promotes this blatantly ageist initiative. Does the left hand know what the right’s doing?


However, readers may be pleased to know that my GP thought my suggestion of shopping each day fulfilled the criteria, but purchases would have to be bought with my ‘flexible friend’!

Personnel Today
Personnel Today

Personnel Today articles are written by an expert team of award-winning journalists who have been covering HR and L&D for many years. Some of our content is attributed to "Personnel Today" for a number of reasons, including: when numerous authors are associated with writing or editing a piece; or when the author is unknown (particularly for older articles).

previous post
Workplace deaths warning as on-the-spot health and safety inspections are cut
next post
Banning access to social networking sites at work is an over-reation says TUC

You may also like

Hot summers, hot desks – employment law advice...

12 Aug 2022

Working in a heatwave: what should employers consider?

11 Aug 2022

Zero-hours contract benefits ‘can outweigh negatives for workers’

11 Aug 2022

Personnel Today Awards 2022 shortlist: Health and Wellbeing...

10 Aug 2022

Prof Sir Cary Cooper: sit up and take...

28 Jul 2022

Ensuring mental health conversations don’t overstep boundaries

26 Jul 2022

Gartner: ‘Workplaces need to heal to become more...

22 Jul 2022

Extension of UK PPE regulations shines a light...

22 Jul 2022

Employers urged to improve knowledge of heat health...

19 Jul 2022

Union calls for maximum workplace temperature as heatwave...

18 Jul 2022

  • 6 reasons why work-based learning is better than traditional training PROMOTED | A recent Fortune/Deloitte survey found that 71% of CEOs are anticipating that this year’s biggest business disrupter...Read more
  • Strengthening Scotland’s public services through virtual recruiting PROMOTED | This website is Scotland's go-to place for job seekers looking to apply for roles in public services...Read more
  • What’s next for L&D? Enter Alchemist… PROMOTED | It’s time to turn off the tedious and get ready for interactive and immersive learning experiences...Read more
  • Simple mistakes are blighting the onboarding experience PROMOTED | The onboarding of new hires is a company’s best chance...Read more

PERSONNEL TODAY

About us
Contact us
Browse all HR topics
Email newsletters
Content feeds
Cookies policy
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions

JOBS

Personnel Today Jobs
Post a job
Why advertise with us?

EVENTS & PRODUCTS

The Personnel Today Awards
The RAD Awards
Employee Benefits
Forum for Expatriate Management
OHW+
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2022

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2022 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • OHW+
  • Join
  • Resources
    • Clinical governance
    • Disability
    • Ergonomics
    • Health surveillance
    • OH employment law
    • OH service delivery
    • Research
    • Return to work and rehabilitation
    • Sickness absence management
    • Wellbeing and health promotion
  • Conditions
    • Mental health
    • Musculoskeletal disorders
    • Blood pressure
    • Cancer
    • Cardiac
    • Dementia
    • Diabetes
    • Respiratory
    • Stroke
  • CPD
  • Webinars
  • OHW Awards
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today