Get Well, Stay Well Launch

Yesterday (Tuesday 21st March),Challenge through Sport Initiative and Active Lancashire Operations Manager Jane Moodie joined leaders from across Government, health, sport and justice at the Houses of Parliament for the launch of the 'Get Well, Stay Well Agreement'. 

In September 2021, the Alliance of Sport was commissioned by NHS England to establish a Taskforce, to work with government and create a more structured plan to effectively integrate physical activity and sport across the Criminal Justice System, addressing health inequalities and the prevention of crime and reoffending.

Published in December 2022, the ‘Get Well Stay Well Agreement’ is a framework for greater collaboration, heath promotion and use of physical activity and sport across the welfare and justice systems. Importantly, this seeks to contribute to the government’s Beating Crime Plan, which outlined how sports-based interventions can offer effective and impactful support to those who may be at risk of being drawn into criminality.

The launch of the agreement was hosted by the Chair of the Taskforce, Baroness Sater, and key figures spoke at the event including Kate Davies CBE, Director of Health and Justice, Armed Forces and Sexual Assault Services Commissioning, NHS England, Stuart Andrew MP, Minister for Sport, Tourism and Civil Society, and Lord Markham Parliamentary Under Secretary of State in the Department of Health and Social Care, on how this agreement can help those involved within the welfare and justice systems to ‘get well’ and ‘stay well’ and tackle health inequalities.

The Get Well, Stay Well Agreement is the first major initiative of the Taskforce on Physical Activity and Sport in the Criminal Justice System, which is led by the Alliance of Sport in Criminal Justice, chaired by Baroness Sater and consists of senior leaders across government and academia. It is supported by people with lived experience of the welfare and justice systems. 

Challenge through Sport Initiative is a bespoke behaviour change programme for people who need to build up their resilience to substance misuse. This includes working with those with Mental Health issues (especially Dual Diagnosis), those in the Criminal Justice System. CSI has been pioneering this integrated approach to sport, physical activity and providing alternative provision and support for those in the criminal justice system since it launch in 2014.