The Sport and Recreation Alliance and ukactive have joined forces to help national governing bodies (NGBs) understand the public health agenda - with a number of new reforms to be introduced in April – and to get more people active.

At an Alliance divisional meeting this month ukactive presented on the shifting health landscape in the first step in the organisations' partnership.

Chief executive of ukactive David Stalker said: "By forging a working partnership between ukactive and the Sport and Recreation Alliance we hope to be able to share some of our knowledge of public health delivery, specifically how to target inactive populations and maximise local engagement in sport and physical activity."

From April GPs will be responsible for the commissioning of community health services, such as emergency care, and local authorities will receive around £2.7bn annually for the commissioning of public health services.

Chief executive of the Sport and Recreation Alliance Tim Lamb said: "When you look at our combined membership we have a huge footprint and I am sure we can really put that to use in tackling ill-health."

The organisations are currently working on a memorandum of understanding that will see their objectives more closely aligned.