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Introduction to Activity Referral

Our Activity Referral programme provides you with the opportunity to refer with confidence your patients' to exercise classes close to your practice. We have the qualifications and procedures in place to deal with patients with moderate health problems (please see referral criteria for details).

Our programme follows the NHS National Quality Assurance Framework for Exercise Referral Systems, 2001 is regularly monitored and is subjected to ongoing evaluation.

The benefits of physical activity are clear to see across the population, the Department of Health has estimated that 6 out of 10 men and 7 out of 10 women do not do enough physical activity to benefit their health. Our objective is to use local facilities and activity providers to provide support to clinicians and demonstrate the benefits of regular physical activity for individual patients. In referring patients to take up exercise it is hoped that the patient will be able to start to take responsibility for their own health to a greater degree. Knock on effects of this programme may be a reduced workload for the clinician, or even a reduction in dependence on prescribed drugs or treatment and the associated cost to the surgery / NHS.

How to start referring

  • Decide which patients should be referred into the system using the criteria provided.
  • Obtain consent from the patient for the transfer of all the relevant clinical information relating to the patient's health and the implications of this for activities of daily living; to the exercise professional.
  • Inform the patient about symptoms that might indicate that the exercise programme was in some way unsuitable for them and their chronic pathologies.
  • Refer the patient to the most appropriate class within the programme.
  • When appropriate, offer exercise as an element in an integrated holistic approach to care particularly where non-pharmacological management of the condition may be indicated.
  • Provide support and encouragement to the client to act upon the referral and adhere to the programme.
  • Pass on any information about the relevant changes in the health of the patient to the exercise professional to enable the programme to be modified.
  • Reinforce the benefits of long-term adherence and the use of other appropriate motivational strategies to encourage an active lifestyle.
  • Promote the programme to other members of the practice, and give information as needed.
  • Where ever possible provide a role model. It has been shown that clinicians who are they habitually physically active have been shown to be more effective in motivating and sustaining long-term behavioural change in their patients.
  • Provide details of this website and/or print off contact details and information about this programme. The patient will then need to contact us to arrange a consultation and further appointments.

Referral Criteria

Exercise referral is aimed at clients with any medical condition that would be relieved/Improved by regular controlled exercise, example include:

  • Patients with high blood pressure.
  • Cardiac risk factor conditions.
  • Those with Musculo-skeletal conditions.
  • Patients suffering from Osteo/Rheumatoid Arthritis.
  • Patients with Diabetes.
  • Patients at risk from Strokes and falls.
  • Those Patients with moderate stress or depression.
  • Patients with Asthma.

However referral is not recommended until the condition is; treated, stable and past the acute phase.

Exclusion criteria

Benefit Health and Fitness will normally be able to deal with adults with a wide range of conditions. Referrals with the following will not normally be accepted onto the scheme.

  • Unstable angina.
  • Resting SBP>180mmHg or resting DBP>100mmHg.
  • Significant drop in BP during exercise.
  • Uncontrolled tachycardia >100bpm.
  • Unstable or acute heart failure.
  • Febrile illness.
  • Unstable Diabetes.
  • Unstable and chronic respiratory conditions.
  • Unstable/significant mental health problems.
  • Highly irritable or unstable back problems.

Referral of clients outside these criteria may take place if;

The client's condition has been recognised by the referring clinician and the client is, in their professional opinion, in a position to benefit from undertaking physical activity.

The practitioner has contacted Benefit Health and Fitness and discussed the clients situation, and has agreed in advance that we will accept the client to one of our classes.

A PDF form can be completed and printed here.