A physical activity loyalty card (PAL), which rewards users with shopping vouchers, has been launched in Northern Ireland with the aim of combating inactivity.

The scheme has been developed by the province’s National Institute of Health Research, the Public Health Agency and Queen’s University in Belfast, primarily to target employees in the public health sector who need to lead more active lives.

Eight major Lisburn based employers have already signed up to using the card, which is to be launched in the new year, including the city council, South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust and the local chamber of commerce.

The initiative works in the same way as many high street loyalty cards, with employees earning points for the amount of time they spend exercising, which are then exchanged for retail vouchers sponsored by and redeemable at local businesses.

“This is a very interesting and innovative scheme which has the potential for many benefits on a number of levels,” said health minister Jim Wells.

“Northern Ireland has high levels of inactivity which has resulted in preventable chronic illness. Improving the health of the workforce will not only benefit employees’ own health but, evidence suggests, is also likely to improve workplace performance and productivity, so employers and ultimately the economy as a whole stand to benefit from a healthy workforce.”

It is hoped local businesses will also get a boost from the increased footfall they will receive.

In June of this year, the Northern Ireland Executive launched Making life better - a whole system strategic framework for public health, a 10 year plan aimed at improving the health and well-being of its communities and reducing health inequality.

"To improve health and a reduce inequalities in health requires the government and communities to strengthen partnerships and work proactively in a coherent way,” said Wells.

"Partnership is vital to the success of many initiatives - and that includes the PAL scheme, which brings together local communities, employees and their families, employer organisations, local business and the academic sector around the issue of improving health and wellbeing.”

Whilst the scheme will target the public health sector in the first instance, the minister flagged up its potential for roll-out across a whole range of businesses, community initiatives and education establishments.

The launch of this scheme follows another fitness initiative which uses card technology which was launched in Birmingham at the start of 2014. Developed by Dr William Bird of Intelligent Health, a physical activity strategy consultancy, those on GP referral schemes swipe an Oyster-style smart card whenever they use the city’s parks, to enable usage to be recorded and funds to be reallocated accordingly.