Mapping Greener HealthcareMapping Greener Healthcare

This proposal focuses on the promotion of walking through the provision of high quality walking routes at 7 NHS sites, including signposting to other walking activities. The aim is for a high quality enjoyable walk which individuals will wish to sustain.

The walks will be made available on the Ealing Hospitals Trust intranet for download and there will be publicity about them to all staff through our in-house “Get Active” newsletter which we produce bi-monthly highlighting to staff the different physical activities that we are available across Ealing.

As Britain’s walking charity the Ramblers has developed over 1,500 short urban walking routes for a variety of partners part of their flagship project Get Walking Keep Walking. Examples of partners include NHS Sheffield, Herne Hill Road Surgery; West Midlands Integrated Transport Authority. Sample routes are available at http://www.getwalking.org/walking-routes/. In December Swindon Borough Council will launch Walk Swindon, having commissioned the Ramblers to develop 25 walking routes across the town. Background to outputs: The locations, across Ealing, Brent and Harrow, and nature of the routes will be determined at an inception meeting between the Ramblers and NHS Ealing and Ealing Hospital Trust. It is proposed that one route will be developed at seven sites, as either:• A circular lunchtime walk for 30 minutes; or• From a key local transport hub to the site to encourage people to build more walking into their daily commute to work.To ensure quality, routes will be developed and separately checked on the ground by trained volunteers.

The route cards will include: information as agreed at the inception meeting, including partner logos (Inspire if secured by NHS Ealing) and will signpost to other walking opportunities, in the locality. Upon negotiation it may be possible to include a discounted introductory offer for employees who wish to join the Ramblers.

Outcomes: • Increased awareness amongst employees of walking as a means of helping to achieve the recommended 150 minutes physical activity targets a week• Routes downloaded from intranet• Number of employees having used the routes• Frequency with which routes are used• Number of employees taking up walking/other physical activity as a result of the routes