1. Adolescent Mental Health at ELFT

Antonette Garcia is a GST at ELFT’s Adolescent Mental Health unit. Antonette identified that the complexity of young people’s mental health conditions demands innovation and using her GST competencies designed a novel, structured physical activity-based healthcare service. This therapeutic approach delivered a meaningful, engaging and sustainable experience, while strengthening relationships within the multidisciplinary team of psychiatrists, doctors, nurses, therapists, dieticians and social workers. What was initially ‘prescribing exercises’ at ELFT became holistic, person-centred, clinical sports and exercise therapy. Consequently, a new role for her as ‘sports therapist’ (rather than the previous ‘fitness instructor’) was developed. Antonette reported,

my motivation to integrate Sports and Exercise Therapy as central to physical and mental health in the inpatient units was realising that every young person could thrive in their recovery if they were guided and supported to enjoy physical activities, so long as their individual capabilities and unique interests were identified, and they were encouraged to be creative with movement.

Antonette is currently reviewing the service and ‘hopes to share findings so that other National Health Service providers are inspired by ELFT’s example’.

2. Transplant recipients and the British Transplant Games

Up to a quarter of transplant organ recipients suffer from post-transplant mental health disorders, and the number receiving organ transplants in the UK has grown from 2600 (2009/2010) to 4533 (2022/2023).5 The Society of Sports Therapists (SST) recognised that more could be done to support access to the benefits of safe physical activity, shown by trials to improve physical function, health-related quality of life, cardiorespiratory and muscular fitness.6 Consequently, the SST became official partners with Transplant Sport charity, supporting their mission to encourage all transplant recipients to be physically active and providing GSTs for the SEM care of post-transplant participants at the British Transplant Games (BTG), a celebration of life and sport. At the BTG, transplant recipients of all abilities, from 5 years old upwards, participate in over 25 different events, with some going on to compete at the World Transplant Games. Speaking after working with the 135 athlete-strong Great Britain and Northern Ireland Team at the 2023 World Transplant Games in Australia (figure 1), Thomas Hames (SST Member) and Sheila Leddington Wright (Honorary SST Member) said,

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Figure 1

Left to right: Psychologist Rebecca Mayne, SST Member Paddy Gaffey, Honorary SST Member Sheila Leddington Wright, SST Members Harry Pitt, Louise Anderson and Thomas Hames.

Transplant athletes really are very special people. They have been through life changing operations and have been given the gift of life. Each athlete will have their own unique physical and psychological demands which can often be quite different from dealing with an able-bodied athlete. It can be challenging but equally very inspiring and rewarding.

The SST is proud that its GST members are a key source of sports and exercise therapy support at the BTG, an event where a caring centred culture of social relations provides belonging, hope, motivation and a therapeutic space where individuals are more actively involved in their health than in the hospital or clinic.7 Within the multidisciplinary team, GSTs have been instrumental in facilitating and supporting a physically active health-promoting environment for this under-serviced community.

By spotlighting these services, we demonstrate that Physical Activity Healthcare Pathways for musculoskeletal (MSK) and mental health are enhanced by using degree-qualified, member-body regulated exercise therapy professionals, thereby helping to reduce healthcare inequalities and support the NHS’s Long-Term Plan.

Using GSTs to engage people, especially vulnerable groups, in sport, therapeutic physical activity and exercise rehabilitation enhances their health and well-being. Despite their increased employment in the NHS, GSTs remain a largely ‘untapped resource’ in Physical Activity Pathways and MSK healthcare services.