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GPs to prescribe cycling to help improve mental & physical health

24 Aug 2022

The Department for Transport has announced a £12.7m trial to begin later this year, in which GPs in England will be able to prescribe walking or cycling as a way of improving mental and... Read more…

Cyber security only prioritised by businesses after a data breach, DCMS reports

23 Aug 2022

Government research has revealed that UK businesses only begin to appreciate the importance of cyber security once the business has sustained a “serious” attack.
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Cash use fell again in 2021 as contactless accounts for a third of all payments

22 Aug 2022

In its latest Payment Markets Report, UK Finance has said that the 40.4 billion payments made by consumers and businesses in the UK during 2021 represented a return to pre-pandemic payment... Read more…

How Are Small Shops Valued

18 Aug 2022

Small shops are defined as any shop less than 1,850m² (or 20,000 ft²). There are around 500,000 small shops in England and Wales – accounting for £11.5bn worth of rateable... Read more…

Leading UK retailers urge police to “make retail crime a priority”

18 Aug 2022

Over 100 leading UK retailers have written a joint letter to Police and Crime Commissioners in England and Wales requesting that violence and abuse against retail workers be made a priority,... Read more…

BikeBiz opens nominations for retailer awards

17 Aug 2022

Industry magazine BikeBiz has opened nominations for its annual retailer awards in association with ArmaUrto. Categories include IBD of the Year, Omnichannel Retailer of the Year, and Best... Read more…

Retail sales rose in July but ‘rocky road ahead’ forecast for retailers

17 Aug 2022

According to the BRC-KPMG Retail Sales Monitor, retail sales rose in July though the news came with a warning that this could be the “lull before the storm”.
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Learn from the best social media posts of 2022

20 Jul 2022

Each week Maybe* round up the best social media posts from across the UK. See who's coming... Read more…

ACT partner Maybe* in the press over Independents’ Day weekend 2022

14 Jul 2022

It's been a busy first half of the year at Maybe* HQ and they've kicked off the second half with one of their favourite celebrations, Independents' Day. Maybe*'s support of the campaign made 21... Read more…

DfT publish second Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy

7 Jul 2022

The strategy sets out objectives and an estimated almost £4bn of investment across Government through to 2025 to deliver the commitments outlined in the Prime Minister’s ‘Gear... Read more…

GPs to prescribe cycling to help improve mental & physical health

Posted on in Cycles News, Outdoor News

The Department for Transport has announced a £12.7m trial to begin later this year, in which GPs in England will be able to prescribe walking or cycling as a way of improving mental and physical health and easing the burden on the NHS.

Initially 11 places will receive funding for doctors are to start "social prescription" pilots. The plan aims to reduce GP appointments and people's reliance on medication. The pilots run until 2025 in Bradford, Leeds, Doncaster, Cumbria, Gateshead, Nottingham, Staffordshire, Suffolk, Plymouth, Cornwall, Bath and NE Somerset.

The new Gear Change Plan pilots would be "hugely beneficial" to overall mental and physical health, said the DfT. The pilots will include adult cycle training for all abilities, plus more walking groups for exercise and mental health. Free bike loans will be offered.

Walking and cycling minister Trudy Harrison said more cycling and walking would "ease the burden on our NHS" as well as "improving air quality and reducing congestion".

The government said the authorities must also improve infrastructure, so people felt safe walking and cycling.

"We need healthier, cheaper and more pleasant ways to get around for everyday trips," he said cyclist Chris Boardman, commissioner of National Active Travel, a government agency set up to improve the UK's cycling and walking infrastructure.

"Moving more will lead to a healthier nation, a reduced burden on the NHS, less cancer, heart disease and diabetes, and huge cost savings."

However, while GPs agree the pilot funding is "great news", with obesity a risk factor for Type-2 diabetes, cancers, liver and respiratory disease, some say overstretched surgeries cannot take on even more work created by the pilots.

"Should GPs refer people to these schemes, or should they look after sick people?" asked Doncaster GP Dr Dean Eggitt.  "We don't have capacity for both."

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