Physical wellbeing is the ability to maintain a healthy quality of life that allows us to get the most out of our daily activities without undue fatigue or physical stress.
It relates to a variety of different aspects ranging from sleep and exercise and to nutrition and sexual health.
Information and Resources
Active Stirling
Active Stirling – See the Active Stirling’s Facebook page for more information, including activities posted daily by the instructors that you can join in with. For daily workouts there is also FREE access to Life Fitness’s Digital Coach – which gives a new workout film of the day and a range of exercises to do at home.
Active Clacks
Clackmannanshire Council – Active Clacks – Active Clacks YouTube channel – you’ll find video clips you can join in with here. Active Clacks Twitter – you’ll find daily challenges and drills aimed at children and families to join in with.
Active:2:Grow Cornton
Active:2:Grow is a 48-week referral programme using physical activity and sport as a tool to support young people’s mental health and wellbeing. For more information on how to send a young person to Scottish Sports Future contact chanelle@ssf.org.uk.
Active Sauchie
Get Active Sauchie – You can join in with any of the following classes – HIIT, yoga, over 50s, circuit training and advanced exercise are all available from this link as well as daily exercises. Some staff live closer to, or in, Glasgow, similar to our local Partners they have exercises available for people to do at home (or in the garden).
Alcohol and Drugs
Alcohol and Drugs (NHS Forth Valley) has a Variety of information guides, signposting to local services including recovery cafes and free, confidential advice.
Buggy Walks
Buggy Walks are a fun way for mums, dads, grandparents and carers to meet new people, chat and share experiences on a safe and welcoming walk led by trained walk leaders.
Changing Life Expectancy
Changing life expectancy in the UK and why it matters (GCPH) – A short video about the importance of Life Expectancy levels and why they matter across the UK.
Cycling Scotland
Cycling Scotland – The following are free guides ranging from Commuting Safety to Family on road Cycle Guides:
To take forward any of the Essential Cycling Skills training sessions please email one of the local Cycling Scotland tutors directly and they will set up the sessions on the Cycling Hub for the participants to register:
- Phil Jones (Recyke a Bike) – phil@recyke-a-bike.co.uk
- Andrew Abbess (Stirling Cycle Training) – stirlingcycletraining@gmail.com
- Drew Michie – ajmlynnside@gmail.com
Cycling Falkirk – helpful to anyone who is starting out cycling in the Falkirk area.
Cycle To Work Scheme
Staff Cycle to Work Scheme (NHS Forth Valley) – Information leaflet about the cycle to work scheme in NHS Forth Valley. NHS Forth Valley recently increased the offer available and staff can now access a package of up to £2500 over an 18-month period. Apply here.
Dental Health
Dental health (NHS inform) – Advice and guidance relating to all aspects of oral health from brushing to nutrition for all ages.
Disability Rights UK
Get Yourself Active – Free classes and exercises for people living with a disability.
Falkirk Community Trust Fitness
Falkirk Community Trust – Falkirk Fitness – On the Falkirk Fitness Facebook page there are suggestions about how to be active at home and strength and balance exercises for older adults. Active Forth referral team have been working hard and have created home programmes & videos for the various classes they teach across all their clubs. This includes: Otago Class, AF Circuits and Strength & Balance classes.
Forth Environment Link
Forth Environment Link (FEL) is a Scottish environmental charity, based in the Forth Valley. They focus on connecting people and place on actions which make a positive response to the Climate Emergency. They can help with active travel, sustainable food sources and reuse and repair of products and materials. They always have lots of great community events and projects happening across Forth Valley and you can keep up-to-date via their Twitter or Instagram.
Electric Bike (eBike) Trial
Forth Environment Link (FEL) offers NHS staff the opportunity to trial an electric bike for 3 months to commute with and use for leisure too. They also provide you with a helmet, lock, pannier bag, roadside assistance and personalised cycle-friendly routes from your postcode to your NHS site.
Cycling to work with an electric bike is great! Unlike a normal bike, the electric bike has a motor that provides power assistance when you’re pedalling to ease the amount of effort required. This makes cycling on a steep hill so much easier; it allows you to ride for longer, cover more miles, and still enjoy all of the wonderful benefits cycling offers. It’s also more environmentally friendly than your car and it lets you save money on petrol and avoid traffic jams.
Find out more about our cycling ambassadors here. If you would like to find out more about active travel and the ebike scheme contact Forth Environment link on 01786 449215.
Free Volunteer Lead Walking
These walks are aimed at people who would benefit most from doing more physical activity.
- Falkirk: Step Forth Walking Programme
- Stirling: Active Stirling Walks
- Clackmannan: Wee Country Walkers
- Loch Lomond & Trossachs: Walk In The Park
Get Active Your Way / Choose to Lose
Get Active Your Way / Chose to Lose (NHS Forth Valley) – Great place to start for all your physical health needs, queries and concerns. Includes local area guides and contacts.
Getting Better Sleep
Getting Better Sleep (Every Mind Matters) – Short video presentation by Professor Colin Espie, Professor of Sleep Medicine at University of Oxford, offers some practical advice and tips to help improve your sleep.
Jog Scotland
Jog Scotland – Download one of the guides to get you walking more or learn to jog. Scroll down the page and you’ll see YouTube clips you can watch to see how to warm up and cool down (very important steps in your activity, it can be tempting to skip them but worthwhile doing to help prevent any injuries). There is also the Jog Scotland Facebook page which has posts on their latest news.
Jog Scotland FVR and Stirling Striders – NHS Forth Valley works in partnership with 2 local free, friendly and supportive Jog Scotland Groups to help staff, patients, carers go from 0 to 5Km in around 10-12 weeks. One group is based at Forth Valley Royal Hospital (they are called Jog Scotland FVRH) and the other is based at Stirling Health & Care Village (they are called Stirling Striders) and they currently meet at Kings Park, Stirling on a Monday early evening.
We hope to re-start the Forth Valley Royal Hospital (they are called Jog Scotland FVRH) group and will keep you updated of progress re this.
There are other community based Jog Scotland Groups you can access Find your nearest jog group.
Menopause in the Workplace
Menopause in the Workplace (Menopause at Work) – A range of free tips, tools and guidance to help support anyone experiencing menopause in the workplace.
For World Menopause Day, the ALLIANCE and Scottish Government have prepared resources on menopause and the workplace which are available here.
Further information about Menopause, including further signposting to support and a short myth busting video, can be found on NHS Inform, along with the Scottish Government’s Women’s Health Plan and a further video called Menopause Voices that you may find supportive and reassuring to hear from other people with similar experiences!
Menstruation
There is a variety of information and resources out there that can help support those experiencing menstruation.
My Period – Has everything you need to know about periods, period education and where to find free products locally using the map.
NHS Inform has a new, dedicated Women’s Health platform that sets out information on women’s health at key stages of life, from puberty to later years. While this platform uses the term Women’s Health, not only those who identify as women require access to women’s health and reproductive services.
Endometriosis UK can provide targeted support and advice.
Nutrition and Eating Well
Nutrition and Eating Well (NHS Forth Valley) – Variety of educational resources and help covering all aspects of food and nutrition. The National Wellbeing Hub have also created a great resource about eating well at work and top tips for shift workers.
Physiotherapy
Physiotherapy (NHS Forth Valley) – Referrals to staff physiotherapy can be carried out as a self referral, or via your GP or Occupational Health Department. NHS Forth Valley Staff can self refer to the Staff Physiotherapy Service by completing the referral form and e-mailing it to fv.fvstaffphysio@nhs.scot or by contacting the Physiotherapy Department on 01786 434061.
Podiatry
We offer a Podiatry service for staff. If you suffer from painful feet and would like to be seen, please complete the self-referral form (Internal Link).
Ramblers
Ramblers is a charity whose goal is to protect the ability of people to enjoy the sense of freedom and benefits that come from being outdoors on foot. They are an association of people and groups who come together to both enjoy walking and other outdoor pursuits and also to ensure that we protect and expand the infrastructure and places people go walking. You can input your postcode (or that or where you wish to visit) to find walking maps. There are lots available for in and around the Forth Valley area.
Ready, Steady, Baby
Ready, Steady, Baby (NHS Inform) – Information guides and advice to help you get ready for baby’s arrival.
Recyke-a-bike
Recyke-a-bike – Based in Alloa Road, Causewayhead, Stirling, they are a registered charity aiming to improve lives by bikes and are open Monday to Saturday from 9am until midday and then 1pm-5pm in the afternoon. They can offer free £50 repairs/servicing on bikes; host a variety of events to help improve confidence with cycling for everyone and also sell a range of pre-loved bikes at reasonable prices.
Scottish Ballet
Scottish Ballet movement and breath sessions – Each 10-minute movement and breath session is designed to address physical and mental health and is accompanied by specially created music. Head to Health at Hand – for NHS & care workers and Scottish Ballet: Health at Hand playlist.
Sexual Health
Sexual Health (Central Sexual Health) – Forth Valley Sexual Health is an NHS service providing FREE sexual health care in Forth Valley. They offer testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections (STIs), free condom supplies, pregnancy tests, all forms of contraception and emergency contraception, and general advice and support.
Sleep Council
Sleep (The Sleep Council) – Short video discussing the need for sleep and the ways in which a lack of sleep can impact upon your overall health and wellbeing.
Slowways
Slowways – a project to create a network of safe walking routes that connect all of our villages, towns and cities.
Smoking Cessation
Smoking Cessation (NHS Forth Valley) – Quit your Way guides and signposting to free, local help for face-to-face smoking cessation sessions open to all staff.
SportScotland Walk and Talk
SportScotland Walk and Talk – Go for a walk boost your physical health and also your mental wellbeing – easy peasy!
Staying Healthy
Staying Healthy (NHS) – A link to a number of quizzes and self-help guides aimed at helping staff with issues such as losing weight, stopping smoking and becoming more physically active.
Staying Physically Well
Staying Physically Well (National Wellbeing Hub) – Variety of guides, apps and resources available via the National Wellbeing Hub to support with all aspects of physical health and wellbeing.
Stirling University Sport
Stirling University Sport – Some staff may already have corporate membership to the sport facilities at Stirling University. This link is open to all and will take you to their online fitness class timetable. You’ll see there are a lot of great options available to you to try throughout Monday to Saturday.
The Body Coach
The Body Coach – free exercise videos for all abilities.
Think2Drink
Think2Drink (NHS National Services Scotland) – Short video campaign about the importance of staying hydrated for children, although some lessons for us all!
Walk With our Mindfulness Podcast
Walk with our mindfulness podcast – Six in ten of us in Scotland are walking more than we did before the coronavirus pandemic. This is really positive news therefore, if you like, why not listen to the voice of Edith Bowman guide you through some meditations while you walk?
Workout Wednesday
Workout Wednesday (BBC) – Bring out your inner Olympian by training with a GB Olympic Team member.
Current Actions
As an organisation, here are some of the current actions and work we are undertaking to help support your physical wellbeing:
- Reviewing our current NHS Forth Valley Cycle Scheme to maximise the packages available to staff and ensure application information and support is readily available;
- Working with Health Promotion colleagues to promote LochPower and ClacksPower and the new Exercise Corridor within FVRH and to look at ways in which we can achieve similar programmes across other sites;
- Reviewing our current corporate membership opportunities with local partners such as Active Stirling;
- Looking at ways to better promote sleep hygiene throughout our organisation, especially for shift workers;
- Building upon the success of the hydration station work and promoting this across all sites;
- Working to roll-out free sanitary products across all sites;
