The doctor of both the Great Britain men's basketball team and York City Football Club has been appointed chief medical advisor of Active IQ.

Dr Dane Vishnubala, who has more than 14 years of experience in the health and fitness industry, will have the job of developing and refreshing Active IQ's Level 3 Diploma in Exercise Referral, its Level 4 qualifications and health-based CPD (continuing professional development) content.

He will also deliver bi-monthly webinars from February, which will focus on technical content to complement the launch of Active IQ’s refreshed Level 3 Diploma in Personal training.

Dr Vishnubala will write bi-monthly blogs, provide a monthly ‘Ask The Expert’ service via Active IQ’s monthly e-bulletins and social media platforms and support Active IQ employer-focused events and forums.

As well as being the doctor for the British men's basketball team and York City FC, Dr Vishnubala is an NHS sport and exercise medicine doctor, Public Health England GP clinical champion for physical activity and a sports medicine physician.

He is also the Royal College of GPs lead clinical advisor for physical activity and lifestyle and a British Association of Sport and Exercise Medicine executive member.

Dr Vishnubala said: “It is a great privilege to be invited to work in partnership with Active IQ and I feel there is plenty of work we can do together. There is a clear need for greater physical activity and health related training and understanding within the active leisure industry with more and more clients presenting to gyms and personal trainers with specialist health needs or seeking to prevent disease.

"The problems relating to inactivity and chronic disease are constantly increasing and there is a clear need to have fitness professionals who are qualified appropriately in both physical activity and lifestyle advice to aid in the solution."