Physical activity should be treated as seriously as medication in the NHS's care of older people, a cross-party committee of MPs has concluded — but deteriorating leisure facilities and a lack of national strategy are holding back progress.

The Health and Social Care Committee's report warns that without a coherent national approach, opportunities to embed physical activity in community-based care remain limited.

MPs said partnerships between health services and the physical activity sector can deliver effective programmes in local settings, support long-term condition management and ease pressure on hospitals — supporting the Government's ambition to shift care out of hospitals and into communities.

The committee welcomed the government's £400m announcement to support grassroots sports facilities but warned the funding must be used strategically to support the infrastructure the NHS will rely on to deliver community-based care, particularly physical activity-based interventions.

MPs called for stronger links between local NHS services, leisure providers and community groups, saying expanding these approaches could improve older people's health and wellbeing while reducing demand on hospital-based services.

Health and Social Care Committee Chair, Layla Moran MP, said: ‘Healthcare experts and the Government are all agreed that staying physically active can help older people to live not just longer, but healthier, happier, more sociable lives.

‘Promoting active lifestyles among older people would also tackle two policy objectives at once – shifting the NHS’s focus to prevention, and bringing services closer to home, not the nearest hospital.’