Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what information on the Chief Medical Officer's physical activity guidelines is included in the curriculum for (a) trainee doctors, (b) trainee nurse, (c) trainee health visitors and (d) other medical students.

The content and standard of medical training is the responsibility of the General Medical Council (GMC), which is an independent statutory body. It has the general function of promoting high standards of education and to ensure that medical students and newly qualified doctors are equipped with the knowledge, skills and attitudes essential for professional practice.

The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) sets standards for education to make sure nurses have the right skills and qualities when they start work. They also set standards for education throughout nurses’ careers, after they initially qualify. The NMC also sets the standards for education of pre-registration health visitors.

Medical schools design curricula for undergraduate medical education. In doing so they must ensure that teaching meets the standards of the GMC in order to both gain and maintain GMC recognition of their course.

We would expect bodies with responsibility for curricular to, where appropriate, ensure it reflected changing practice and for example the role that physical health can and does play in ensuring those in their care remain fit and healthy.