GP Referral
Who is Lucinda?
Lucinda is a GP Referral Specialist, which means that she is trained and qualified to work with patients who have chronic health and medical conditions. She has extensive experience working within a GP referral scheme in London, helping to ease peoples' symptoms and sometimes reversing their condition. Having worked closely with GP's, hospital doctors, consultants and physiotherapists, Lucinda is able to help people with their precise health and medical needs.
What is GP exercise referral?
Exercise referral is a Nationwide scheme partly funded by the Department for Health. The funding is provided to all of the different Counties across the UK, whereby the CCG responsible for that area will distribute the money to the Centres who are operating the scheme.
FUNDING TREE
Department for Health (Government)
↓
CCG (Clinical Commissioning Group)
↓
Facility running the scheme (usually a leisure centre)
I say "partly funded" because some health conditions are not covered by the funding, and some centres or CCG's have different funding policies depending on which health condition you have. If your health condition is not covered by the funding, you may still be offered to attend the scheme, but you will be charged a small fee for your attendance. This fee varies across the whole of the UK as it is set by the Centre, and can be anything from £1 right up to £6 per session. Generally, if your condition is funded, your attendance will be Free.
Because the Leisure Centres who provide the scheme are all different companies across the UK, the name of the scheme will also be different. Below are some examples of scheme names correct at time of print, thankfully most centres just use "exercise referral":
PARIS (physical activity referral in Stockport)
Exercise Referral (East Riding of Yorkshire)
Exercise Referral (Everyone Active, 190 centres nationwide)
Fresh Start (Mytime Active Leisure Centres)
Healthwise Physical Activity Referral (Better Leisure Centres)
Exercise on Referral (Active Northumberland)
Who can go on the scheme?
If you have a health condition and your physical activity levels are low, your GP can refer you to the "Exercise Referral Scheme" (quite often these are run by your local leisure centre, but not always). It may not be your GP that refers you either, it could be your physiotherapist, a hospital or clinic consultant or nurse. Whoever refers you to the scheme, they believe that your health will benefit from increased physical activity. If you do not have a health condition, you cannot be referred. Here are the current health conditions that are eligible for the scheme:
Atrial Fibrillation
Cancer
Cerebrovascular Disease (Stroke/TIA)
Diabetes (type 1 and 2)
Hypertension
Mild to moderate mental health disorder
Greater than 10% CVD risk
Arthritis
BMI over 30
COPD
Multiple Sclerosis
Osteoporosis
Parkinson's Disease
Non-diabetic hyperglycaemia
I have been referred, what next?
Initial Assessment
Once you have been referred, you will be invited for an initial assessment with a physical activity specialist, usually within the Leisure Centre. They will talk to you about your health, your conditions and your physical activity levels. You will both discuss how the scheme can help you and they will advise you on what to expect. Usually they will take your blood pressure and a few other measurements such as height and weight for example. You will be booked in for your first exercise session.
Your first session
Your first session will usually be a one-to-one with the specialist. This will last for about an hour within the gym, while they write you an exercise programme and teach you how to use the equipment.
Your sessions thereafter
You will be given a set number of sessions, sometimes over a set number of weeks. You will be expected to attend these sessions following the programme that the specialist wrote for you at the first session. While you are attending, the specialist will be in the gym, available to help you and the other people on the scheme.
Different schemes around the UK have different processes and procedures. Some last for 6 sessions, but most are for 10-12 sessions. Some centres offer alternatives to gym exercise, such as racquet sports, golf, swimming and Classes specifically written for people with health conditions.
Upon completion of your sessions
Most centres will give you a review once you have completed all of your sessions. This will be to evaluate the outcome of your attendance, how has it made you feel, do you feel better? that sort of thing. Sadly, this review is simply so that they can provide statistics back to the CCG to secure their funding, and to try to persuade you to take out membership.
Continued support?
Not likely. If you do not take out membership once you have finished the scheme, you will usually not here from the Centre again. They are after all, a business, and giving sessions for free is not profitable. It is therefore really important that you get as much out of it as you can, talk to as many people as you can and find out about local groups, classes and meet-ups. Take responsibility for your own health, learn from the specialists, and make sure you stay physically active. Find a local walking group. Become a volunteer. Join a group. Be active. Socialise. Do not sit at home alone every day; if you do, then call me and let's chat.
Continued Support from Lucinda
No matter which County or GP referral scheme you come under, you are more than welcome to contact Lucinda. You may have questions about the scheme, or about your condition, or about health in general. Whatever help you need, Lucinda will do her best to support you. Whether you are on the scheme or have already completed the scheme, Lucinda can provide you with continued support..
Answer any of your questions, any time.
Telephone support whenever you need it - let's chat!
Once a week video call - either to talk or to have mini exercise sessions from your home.
You're not alone - let's keep going!
There's no registration required, just email Lucinda.
If you want a call back, remember to give your phone number.
If it's urgent, just say in your email, and she'll call you ASAP:
