Exercise prescriptions needed to get patients active.

[2greys]

A nation-wide health initiative, that will be rolled out widely in GP practices next year, will only work if formal referrals and prescriptions are used, according to a new study led by the University of St Andrews.

Social prescribing is a health care initiative which aims to help patients experiencing a wide range of physical health, mental health and wellbeing issues, including obesity and loneliness, to improve their health and wellbeing by connecting them with relevant opportunities in their local communities.

The health professional connects a patient with a link worker who, following consultation with the patient, connects him or her with an appropriate community-based opportunity, such as a jogging group or a befriending service.

news.st-andrews.ac.uk/archi...

Health & Social Care in the Community.

news.st-andrews.ac.uk/archi...

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This is not new, I've had historically x 2 exercise prescriptions, just need to ask your GP for one.

[hypercat54]

Yes I got referred too for cheap exercises. The problem was that 1st I was working then and they only had them during the day so I couldn't go.I was referred again when I was out of work but I don't have transport and bus fares round here are very expensive and don't run to many places. I was given a choice of 2 - one where I would have to walk quite a long way and was uphill (if I had been able to walk that I wouldn't have needed the referral), and the other was 2 buses away and wasn't free but reduced a bit. I was on benefits at the time and no way could I have afforded it. The ones close to me which I could have accessed easily weren't part of the scheme.

[Ergendl in reply to hypercat54]

Yup, and then they would have blamed you for non-uptake!

[hypercat54 in reply to Ergendl]

Yes it wasn't well thought out. It's easy to offer this but they never check if it's feasible.

[katieoxo60]

Hi 2greys, this has been going on at my surgery for some time and a pilot scheme has been run by the local council. But nothing formal as far as I know , much patient care is becoming more about what the patient will agree too nowadays. Or via research due to financial help for those types of projects.

[soulsaver]

A council run gym I used allowed over 55s free 'off peak' access to their gyms.

Sauna & steam rooms were included, but swimming had to be paid for.

Fantastic?

The downside is that qualifying locals used it as a club to avoid home heating bills and would spend most of the day (seriously) leisurely occupying equipment while those that just wanted to get through their routine couldn't get on the machines for chin wagging 'fogies'.

In addition you could go really early and the place would be empty but all the lockers were locked as they leave their gym gear there overnight even though the rules say they can't.

Just having a moan...