Exercise Referral

Provider for medical and health professional referrals to exercise and fitness programmes

You can come onto the scheme for most low-medium risk health conditions and issues: to be referred please contact your health professional or social prescriber to complete a referral form.

Note: we do not accept referrals of cardiac conditions, falls risk and other high risk conditions.
The scheme is for adults over 18 with one or more of the following medical conditions:

• High blood pressure
• High cholesterol
• Depression
• Stress
• Anxiety
• Back pain
• Osteoarthritis
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Joint replacement
• Osteoporosis
• Asthma
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
• Diabetes

Following a personal assessment (including BMI, Blood Pressure checks, Weight check, fitness tests and goal settings) with the exercise referral specialist on site, you will be given a fitness programme tailored to help you improve your health and fitness. Each assessment is supervised by a qualified exercise referral instructor who will ensure that you have a safe, effective and enjoyable induction to a more active lifestyle.

A final assessment at 4 months is undertaken with the instructor and the patient is discharged from the scheme. The patient will be encouraged to continue exercising at the sports centre and with daily active lifestyle.

Please be aware that at any point during the programme can the specialist choose to refer the client back to the health professional/social prescriber if the programme is deemed as uneffective; a new condition arises; client has had a fall in the last 12 months; a cardiac condition is present; medication that risks exercise is used; or the current condition of the client is at risk.

For more information please contact Jennifer Jamieson at jjamieson@bottishamvc.org

An exercise referral membership will be subscribed to your account at £20 per month for unlimited use in the Fitness Suite, Swims and the below classes:

Monday 18:15-19:00 Aqua Zumba

Tuesday 18:15-19:15 Yoga

Wednesday 18:15-19:00 Zumba

Friday 18:15-19:00 Glow Fitness

All referrals are valid for 4 months only with no further referral upon completion of programme.

All information within the programme are treated with upmost confidence and stored securely in accordance to the Data Protection Act 1998.

Terms and Conditions

1. The referral documentation to the exercise professional must clearly state the relevant information about the patient’s health status as outlined.
2. Social prescribers should pass on any information about any changes in the health of the patient to the exercise professional in a timely manner to support the client’s suitability to exercise.
3. All referrals should be able to explain the effectiveness and possible risks of physical activity in relation to specific medical conditions in relation to the care plan for the patient.
4. All referrals should have strategies that support best practice for facilitating behaviour change in clients and their response to exercise.
5. All social prescribers should retain responsibility for patients while they are on the exercise referral scheme.
6. Social prescribers should remember that the exercise referral scheme is not a substitute for physiotherapy.
7. Allied health professionals should inform the patient’s GP via letter that they have referred a patient for exercise on referral.
8. Contraindications to exercise therefore under no circumstance should patients who present with the following conditions be referred to the service:

– Cardiac Dysfunction or Disease

– Acute Coronary event/Intervention/Diagnosis including: Stable Angina, Myocardial Infarction, CABG, Valve Replacement, Angioplasty, Stent, Heart Failure

– Stroke/TIA – Recent but > 3 months ago

– 20% CVD risk in next 10 years

– And any other high-risk conditions

10. Social prescribers should not refer patients to the service who are under 16 years old; or who have previously been on the programme (unless they present with a new or deterioration in health condition); or for patients who have a BMI >30 without an related medical diagnosis.

For those within South Cambridgeshire district, please complete the “South Cambs” referral form. This is exclusive for those who attend GP Practices in Fulbourn, Teversham and Foxgloves, Great and Little Wilbraham and Six Mile Bottom.

For those within all other districts and attend GP practices not listed above, please complete the “Other Regions” referral form.