§ Lord Moynihanasked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Warner on 29 March (WA 139), which sports bodies have contractual links with the National Health Service to ensure strategic planning and activity levels. [HL3487]
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Lord Warner)The Department of Health has a service level agreement with Sport England, England's national sports development agency, to fund and support the local exercise action pilot programme.
The department is also in the process of concluding a funding agreement with the Federation of Disability Sports Organisations under Section 64 of the Health Services and Public Health Act 1968.
16WAAt a local level, the National Health Service works in partnership with Sport England and the New Opportunities Fund as part of the Active England programme to test out innovative ways of increasing activity levels. Sport action zones also provide an opportunity for local health organisations to work in partnership with sports bodies to bring the benefits of sport and physical activity to deprived communities.
National governing bodies for sport are in the process of developing a "whole sport" plan for sport, which sets out how the sport will seek to encourage people to start, stay and succeed in that particular discipline. A number of the sports, such as swimming and rowing, are seeking to increase participation levels by working with the health sector.
The department does not record details of contractual arrangements between local NHS organisations and sports bodies.