Kickstart patient movement: a 5-step framework for primary care clinicians to support inactive patients in becoming more active

Physical activity (PA) is a cornerstone of both disease prevention and long-term condition management, yet it remains absent from many treatment plans, particularly in primary care. Despite clinicians recognising the value of PA, systemic barriers such as time constraints and limited training hinder its integration into everyday consultations. For this reason, there has been a call for further resources to improve clinician confidence in initiating these conversations. This viewpoint presents a practical, five-step framework to help primary care clinicians support inactive patients to become more active. It does this by integrating core principles of PA counselling, including motivational interviewing, risk screening and the frequency, intensity, time and type (FITT) principle into a practical, accessible framework. It simplifies the often fragmented guidance on PA prescription, offering clinicians a clear, time-efficient tool to support behaviour change in routine practice. A visual infographic translates the five steps into an accessible aid for busy consultations. This viewpoint aims to equip primary care clinicians with the clarity and confidence needed to embed PA advice into their routine care. In doing so, it supports the shift towards proactive, personalised and preventive healthcare.