The second training course in Physical activity on prescription – the Swedish method (PAP-S) took place in Gothenburg 28th to 30th of October 2019. There were 21 participants from seven EU countries attending the three-day course – Denmark, Germany, Italy, Lithuania, Portugal, Romania and Spain.
Focus of the course is the basic concepts of PAP-S. Specialist from multidisciplinary sectors describes the unique interplay within five core components of the PAP-S as well as moderate the discussions.. The five components compose of person-centered counselling with diagnosis-specific and evidence-based recommendations of physical activity, which results in an individualised written prescription accompanied by a follow-up. Via a collaboration between the healthcare services and various activity organisers in the local community individuals are helped to both increase and maintain their activity level.
Lectures were combined with practical training of writing physical activity prescriptions and the introduction of the newly produced EUPAP material. On the third day a site visit at a PAP-center gave the participants an additional insight in the practical work and setting for prescribing PAP-S.
A lot of fruitful exchanges of information and experience took place during the course. Networking is central for the learning phase and the forthcoming implementation and as a part of this a guided food walk through Gothenburg was also included in the course.
The three-day course will be followed by a home assignment. The assignment is to reflect and discuss how the Swedish model Physical activity on prescription is applicable in the participants own context, sharing experiences of barriers and enablers for the process and to describe actions taken as the first step after the course. The assignment will be carried out individually as well as together with national colleagues participating in the same course. In addition, an element of giving and receiving feedback to colleagues from a partner country is also included.
As a third and final step the assignment and further thoughts and reflections of the PAP-S method will be discussed with the trainers at a webinar in March 2020. We are looking forward to the process.
Our thanks goes to our great instructors of the course!