Exercise as important as medication for older adults, MPs say

The Health and Social Care Committee has recommended that CQC inspect care homes for exercise provision, that GPs routinely prescribe physical activity, and that ICBs commission evidence-based programmes. The direction of travel is clear.

In May 2026, the Health and Social Care Committee published its report 'Healthy Ageing: Physical Activity in an Ageing Society'. The core message is simple: physical activity should be treated as equal in importance to medication in keeping older people healthy, independent, and out of hospital. The committee recommends that GPs and clinicians routinely prescribe physical activity, that CQC be charged with checking exercise programmes are provided in care homes, and that Integrated Care Boards commission evidence-based exercise programmes at the intensity needed to deliver real outcomes.

Currently, there is no legal requirement for care homes to provide structured exercise. CQC inspects against Fundamental Standards including person-centred care and safe treatment, but neither mentions exercise specifically. That is likely to change. The government has committed to publishing a Modern Service Framework for frailty and dementia by the end of 2026. This framework will set standards for what good care looks like for people living with or at risk of frailty, and is expected to include physical activity as a core component.

For care homes and supported living providers, the practical implication is clear: CQC may soon be asking what exercise programmes your residents have access to, who delivers them, and whether they are evidence based. Services that can demonstrate a structured, physiotherapy-led programme will be well positioned. The Otago Exercise Programme, for example, is one of the most evidence-based falls prevention interventions available, shown to reduce falls risk by up to 35%.

For families supporting an older relative at home, the report reinforces what physiotherapists have long known. Staying active reduces falls risk, maintains independence, improves mood, and slows the progression of conditions like dementia and Parkinson's disease. If your relative is becoming less steady, less active, or has recently been discharged from hospital, a physiotherapy assessment can identify what would help and set up a programme that works for them.

Thrive Physiotherapy provides evidence-based falls prevention programmes, home-based physiotherapy for older adults, and community exercise classes across Bexley, Greenwich, Bromley, Dartford, and Kent. If you are a care home looking to get ahead of these changes, or a family looking for support, please get in touch.