A new white paper, authored by the Open Data Institute (ODI) for OpenActive, highlights how improving access to physical activity through better data infrastructure could support preventative care, improve patient outcomes, and reduce long-term demand on NHS services.
Physical inactivity puts the NHS under severe pressure, and costs the UK economy £20 billion annually in healthcare costs and lost productivity. While the benefits of physical activity are well known, many people face barriers to participation, including a lack of information about suitable, local options.
Today’s white paper highlights the role of the OpenActive data standards, already used by thousands of physical activity providers. OpenActive is stewarded by the ODI and funded by Sport England and the National Lottery. The OpenActive standards enable three million classes and sessions to be described in a consistent format and published online each month. This makes it easier for individuals, healthcare professionals, and digital tools to find suitable activities based on factors such as location, timing, accessibility, or condition-specific requirements.
According to the white paper, data standards have the potential to transform public health. The importance of physical activity features in nearly 100 National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines, with NHS England noting its potential to improve outcomes and ease pressure on services. Yet many clinicians lack reliable information on local options. Embedding OpenActive activity data into NHS systems would enable professionals to recommend suitable activities, making physical activity a more practical part of care.
Some areas are already showing what’s possible. In the Black Country, a region with some of the lowest activity levels in England, local partners used OpenActive data to create an activity finder for GPs and community workers. It helped improve the quality and relevance of referrals, particularly for residents managing long-term conditions.
Similarly, in maternal health, structured data is being used to address a longstanding gap. Research by the Open Data Institute and the Active Pregnancy Foundation (APF) found that most pregnant women lacked access to trusted information on safe ways to stay active. The APR is now exploring the development of a national directory of verified pregnancy-appropriate sessions, utilising OpenActive data, to make it easier for clinicians to guide people to the right support.
The OpenActive model can be extended beyond physical activity to areas such as volunteering, social care, and community services. By coordinating open standards across sectors, public services can be connected through apps that help people find and access local support. This joined-up approach strengthens public health, economic participation and community resilience. Today’s white paper calls for urgent, coordinated action to realise this potential. It states that three policy actions are necessary to create more connected, effective, and fair public services that support better health and wellbeing.
- Formally recognise OpenActive and complementary open standards as fundamental components of national data infrastructure, with appropriate governance and support for their adoption,
- Integrate OpenActive into NHS preventative health frameworks, social prescribing pathways and digital health initiatives as a core component,
- Establish a data institution to steward multiple public service data standards, ensuring continued development and interoperability.
“Many things that we take for granted work because they include robust interoperability and standards. And because they work, we pay too little attention to them! Now is the time to change that. Can you imagine a new train without tracks or a signalling system? Your bank account without consistent rules to manage transactions? What would travel planning be like if every provider used different standards? “OpenActive has created a set of common data standards for leisure operators, sports bodies and community groups to publish consistent information about sport and physical activity opportunities.”
Associate, NHS Horizons
Physical activity is one of the most powerful tools we have for improving our health. Whether it’s a walk, a bike ride, or a kickabout in the park, getting moving helps us feel better, think clearer, and live longer. Giving people the opportunity to move more, in ways that work for them, rather than relying on prescriptions, can be truly life-changing.
Sport England Chair and former Olympic cyclist
Physical inactivity represents one of the UK’s most pressing public health challenges. Today’s white paper highlights the potential that the OpenActive data standards have to transform public health. Improving access to physical activity in the UK through better data infrastructure can lessen the ever-increasing burden on the NHS and improve long-term patient outcomes.
CEO, The ODI
